The Battle for Free Speech Abroad

The U. S. government is in a legal battle with one of its own broadcasters. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is suing the Trump administration. The network is fighting to keep its federal funding. This funding was allocated by Congress. The U. S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is accused of breaking the law. USAGM is withholding money that Congress set aside for the broadcaster. This network reaches 47 million people weekly. It operates in 27 languages across 23 countries. These include places like Afghanistan, Hungary, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and Ukraine. The network's mission is to promote American ideals. It does this by providing news that is fair and complex. Even when the news involves debate or dissent. The lawsuit names USAGM and two officials: Senior Adviser Kari Lake and Acting Chief Executive Victor Morales. The agency and these officials have not responded to requests for comment. The network's president, Stephen Capus, believes the law is on their side. He thinks the celebration of their demise by despots around the world is premature. The network had no choice but to sue. They receive their funds from the government. The relationship envisioned by the statute is one of cooperation and coordination. The Trump administration has other plans. On Friday, Congress passed a stopgap spending bill. This bill included continuing funds for the agency and the network it funds. Later that night, the White House issued an executive order. This order commanded USAGM to limit its activities to those that are statutorily required.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's lawsuit argues for the network's necessity. It also highlights the value of its mission. The lawsuit rests on the idea that Congress has passed laws requiring the agency to spend the money. Providing its coverage is legally required. The legal argument echoes one made by current and former employees of the U. S. Agency for International Development in court. A federal judge ruled earlier that the Trump administration likely violated the Constitution. Lake acted over the weekend to shut down the Voice of America and Radio/TV Marti. She also revoked contracts distributing the money Congress allocated for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and their sister networks. These networks are private not-for-profit corporations. They are fully funded by the U. S. Congress. Lake also terminated the contract of the Open Tech Fund. This fund helped develop the open source technology Signal and other secure messaging systems. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is the first of the networks to challenge Lake's actions. In a tweet, Lake argued that there is too much rot in the USAGM to salvage. She previously said the networks offered value but needed dramatic reform. Appearing on the podcast of Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief political strategist, Lake anticipated the lawsuit. She taunted the networks' leaders. USAGM put all Voice of America staffers on indefinite paid leave. It terminated all of its hundreds of contractual employees as of the end of the month. It also severed the contracts with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the other outfits. The moves were denounced by Congressional Democrats, international diplomats and some Republicans. Yet they were hailed by MAGA loyalists in the U. S. and autocratic regimes abroad. Authorities in Russia and China openly rejoiced. The Global Times, the English-language tabloid owned by the Chinese Communist Party, celebrated the shuttering of the Voice of America. They want to control the information landscape. They don't see any value in exporting a free press. They don't see any value in securing good will with the people who are the subjects of our enemies.

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