The Trump administration has failed to distribute funding approved by Congress For Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, despite a judge’s directive requiring officials to maintain the network’s operations, court documents show this was not adhered to.
The network was originally created to correct the misinformation coming from the Soviet Union It has not been granted nearly $12 million in funding for April from the federal agency managing the network, the U.S. Agency for Global Media. according to The New York Times.
The postponement of funding has compelled the news outlet to lay off some employees and reduce certain programs.
Benjamin Herman, the group’s general counsel, stated in an official release The Times We hope that USAGM releases our April funds right away.
"Our reporters throughout Europe and Asia , who take significant risks working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), depend on the prompt release of these funds allocated by Congress," he noted.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media terminated RFE/FL's satellite agreements on Thursday, potentially disrupting the broadcast of Russian-language content, according to two RFE/RL officials. The Times. Approximately 40 stations across Europe that air RFE’s live Russian programming utilize satellite technology.
Last month, a Washington federal judge paused President Donald Trump The court's decision prevents the shutdown attempts, as it ruled that the administration does not have the authority to close a news outlet created by Congress.
“Maintaining the operations of RFE/RL serves the public good,” Judge Royce Lamberth stated.
A lawyer representing the news organization stated in a court document filed on Monday that the Trump administration has "failed to pledge the release of RFE/RL’s congressionally allocated funds for April 2025."
Following the court order two days later, the federal global media agency dispatched a letter to the news organization, reversing its earlier directive to terminate the funding.
A special advisor for the media company who also unsuccessfully ran for governor of Arizona as well as for a seat in the U.S. Senate Kari Lake said in a statement that the administration had not distributed the funding in an attempt to boost oversight and accountability. Lake is a former TV news anchor who attacked journalists during her campaigns.
“She was cited as saying, 'RFE/RL is among numerous recipients supported by the U.S. Agency for Global Media via funding from Congress.'” The Times.
“As with other agencies, USAGM has identified significant instances of waste, fraud, and misuse among its grant recipients,” she alleged, without providing any supporting evidence for her claim.
She stated: "The agency is actively strengthening supervision while lawfully addressing those calling for unlimited taxpayer funds without any accountability."
Established in the 1950s, RFE/RL operated as a covert U.S. intelligence initiative, financed clandestinely by the United States government. CIA aiming to foster anti-communist dissent in Russia Eastern Europe Nevertheless, it has received funding from Congress since the early 1970s, and it has maintained editorial independence ever since.
RFE/RL broadcasts in nearly 30 languages and has an audience of around 47 million individuals each week across 23 nations, including Russia. Hungary , and Afghanistan .
The network’s president, Stephen Capus, stated on Tuesday: "Over seventy years, RFE/RL has served as an essential U.S. national security resource, combating censorship to deliver news to millions across some of the world's most oppressive regimes."
He mentioned that the organization will stay in court until the Trump administration distributes the funds appropriated by Congress, as mandated by the court.
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