每日评论0424 法官下令美国之音恢復播出

法官下令美国之音恢復播出

2025年4月22日，美国哥伦比亚特区的联邦法官罗伊斯·蓝伯斯（Royce Lamberth）裁定，川普政府关闭美国之音（VOA）及其母机构——美国全球媒体总署（USAGM）的行為可能违法，命令政府立即恢復VOA的运作，并让被解雇或停职的员工復职。

此事件源於川普政府在3月14日发布的行政命令，大幅削减USAGM的职能与预算。约1300名VOA员工被强制停职，另有500名合同工被解约，使VOA自二战以来首次全面停播。

蓝伯斯法官指出，政府的决定「武断且缺乏合理分析」，违反了国会对该机构的授权与资金用途。他强调，美国之音的使命是向全球传播準确、客观、全面的新闻，并弘扬美国核心价值，如新闻自由与言论自由。

VOA记者对此判决表示欢迎，并认為这不仅是对新闻自由的捍卫，也与国家安全息息相关。目前VOA已开始逐步恢復播出，员工也陆续回到工作岗位。但川普政府是否会提起上诉，仍有待观察。

A Judge Orders Voice Of America To Resume Broadcasting

On April 22, 2025, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., Royce Lamberth, ruled that the Trump administration’s move to shut down Voice of America (VOA) and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), may have been unlawful. The court ordered the government to resume VOA’s operations and reinstate all employees who had been laid off or suspended.

This came after a March 14th executive order by the Trump administration that drastically reduced the scope of USAGM’s activities. About 1,300 VOA staff were furloughed, and 500 contract workers were let go, resulting in the first full shutdown of VOA broadcasts since World War II.

Judge Lamberth stated that the administration’s decision was, “arbitrary and capricious,” violating congressional mandates and funding laws. He emphasized that VOA plays a crucial role in promoting press freedom and delivering accurate and objective news to global audiences.

VOA journalists welcomed the ruling, viewing it as a defense of journalistic independence and national security. While VOA has begun resuming broadcasts and restoring staff, it remains to be seen whether the administration will appeal the decision.