In a significant legal development, a U.S. federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plan to terminate more than 500 employees of the Voice of America (VOA). The decision, issued on Monday by U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, suspends the layoffs that were scheduled to take effect on September 30. The move comes as part of an ongoing legal battle over the administration’s efforts to restructure government-funded media. Kari Lake, a senior advisor to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), has been leading the charge to reduce the workforce, arguing it is a necessary step to dismantle what she describes as a ‘bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy.’ However, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake’s actions were ‘arbitrary and capricious and not in accordance with law,’ and emphasized the need for USAGM to fulfill its statutory mandate. The court also expressed concerns that the defendants lacked a plan to comply with an earlier injunction issued in April. The USAGM, established during World War II, plays a crucial role in promoting democracy and countering propaganda through entities like VOA, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Free Asia. President Trump has frequently criticized VOA, accusing it of being overly critical of his administration and undermining its editorial independence.