A federal District Court in the District of Columbia (Royce C. Lamberth) has granted a temporary restraining order to stop the forced closure of RFE/RL, Inc., a nonprofit news organization commonly known as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
RFE/RL brought the suit to force the United States Agency for Global Media to release $7.5 million in Congressionally appropriated funds and for an order enjoining termination of its activities as ordered by President Trump in Executive Order 14238. Although the appropriation was released before the decision was rendered, the Court found that RFE/RL would still be required to close out its operations.
RFE/RL sued on several claims, including alleged violation of the Administrative Procedures Act, violations of provisions of the Constitution including Appropriations and Spending Clauses, the Presentment Clause, the Take Care Clause, and separation-of-powers principles. The Court found it was likely to prevail on the APA claim and took no position on the other issues.
The Court said that Congress had specifically legislated “the policy of the United States to promote the right to freedom of opinion and expression” and “open communication of information and ideas among the peoples of the world.” It said that the Agency “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.” (RLF/RE, Inc. v. Lake, D. DC, No. 1:25-cv-700, 3/25/25.)
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