U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth has obstructed the Trump administration’s efforts to defund Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a Cold War relic that continues to disseminate globalist narratives under the guise of independent journalism.
This decision undermines the administration’s mandate to eliminate wasteful spending on organizations that no longer serve America’s interests.
On March 15, 2025, Kari Lake, serving as Senior Advisor to the Acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), issued a letter terminating the federal grant for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
This action followed an executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at reducing the operations of several agencies, including the USAGM, which oversees RFE/RL and other U.S.-funded broadcasters.
The termination attempt led to an immediate funding freeze, with RFE/RL reporting that a $7.5 million invoice submitted on March 17, 2025, went unpaid.
In response, RFE/RL filed a lawsuit against USAGM, Kari Lake, and Acting CEO Victor Morales on Tuesday, arguing that the termination violated federal laws and the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress exclusive authority over federal spending.
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, issued a temporary restraining order, effectively blocking Kari Lake, now serving as Senior Advisor at USAGM, from proceeding with the administration’s efforts to shut down RFE/RL’s operations.
The judge ordered the agency to halt all termination and closeout activities, allowing the controversial news outlet to keep the lights on with $7.5 million in federal funds.
RFE/RL, originally funded by the CIA and once a vital tool in the Cold War against communist regimes, now broadcasts into 23 countries across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
But critics argue its modern-day mission has strayed far from championing freedom. Instead, they say, the network pushes narratives aligned with internationalist agendas, undermining nationalist movements and conservative policies in sovereign nations.
Judge Lamberth asserted that the government had failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the funding cut and accusing the agency of acting “arbitrarily and capriciously.”
The ruling prevents the agency from halting operations or initiating any wind-down procedures—effectively overruling the will of the executive branch and Congress’s shift toward restraint abroad.
According to the ruling reviewed by The Gateway Pundit:
Congress has found that “it is the policy of the United States to promote the right of freedom of opinion and expression” and that “open communication of information and ideas among the peoples of the world contributes to international peace and stability.”
RFE/RL has, for decades, operated as one of the organizations that Congress has statutorily designated to carry out this policy. The leadership of USAGM cannot, with one sentence of reasoning offering virtually no explanation, force RFE/RL to shut down—even if the President has told them to do so.
Therefore, upon consideration of the plaintiff’s Motion [ECF No. 6] for a Temporary Restraining Order, the defendants’ Opposition thereto, the plaintiff’s Reply, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the plaintiff’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order is GRANTED.
Read the court ruling below:
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