USAGM reverses decision to cut funding for RFE/RL

PanARMENIAN.Net - On March 26, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) informed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that it is revoking its earlier letter suspending the outlet’s grant agreement for fiscal year 2025, effectively reinstating the agreement.

“The USAGM notification followed a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which granted RFE/RL’s preliminary injunction against the agency’s decision to halt congressional funding, which RFE/RL argued was unlawful,” the outlet reported.

Judge Royce Lamberth ruled to suspend any actions aimed at shutting down RFE/RL operations until the full hearing of the case. RFE/RL is seeking access to approximately $77 million in funding allocated to it by Congress.

“This is an encouraging signal that RFE/RL's operations may continue as Congress intended. We await USAGM’s official confirmation that grant funding will resume immediately,” said RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus.

Founded in 1953, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is an independent media organization funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.

On March 14, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at significantly downsizing USAGM and other federal agencies.