“Decision from March 24 means that RFE/RL will receive $ 7.46 million – an amount that covers the period from 1 to 14 March”, – WRITE: www.radiosvoboda.org
“The agency has taken immediate administrative measures to start paying,” the USAGM letter added to the lawsuit, adding that the payment should take place by March 26 and RFE/RL will receive funds by the end of the month.
At a court hearing on March 24, Ebigail Stute – a lawyer of the USAGM Justice Department – claimed that a grant agreement between USAGM and RVE/RS, as stated in the Law on International Broadcasting, gives the agency the right to terminate the agreement if RFE/RL does not comply with the provisions stated.
“Thus, the law actually stipulates that the agency may stop the grant,” she said.
In response, David Zayonz, one of the RVE/RS lawyers, stated that there would be no sense for Congress to approve funding only for the agency to do whatever they want.
The threat of termination of the financing of the broadcaster has caused a wave of support from the audience, which speaks 27 languages and in 23 countries, where RFE/RL speaks.
The Defense Directive appeared a few hours after US President Donald Trump has signed a decree reducing seven agencies, including USAGM, “to the maximum amount that is in accordance with the current legislation.”
The RVE/RS grant was terminated by a letter signed by Carey Lake, which stated her position as “Senior Counner V.O. USAGM Executive Director with powers delegated Executive Director. ” The letter stated that the grant allocation “no longer meets the priorities of the agency”. No more explanations were provided.
Since the future of Radio Liberty remains uncertain, the European Union policies are considering supporting the broadcaster.
Read also: As Ukraine and the world respond to cancellation of a grant to Radio Liberty
USAGM is an independent US government agency that controls news and information broadcasting for about 361 million people every week.
The total budget request for USAGM for the 2025 Financial Year was $ 950 million to finance all transactions and capital investments.
These include media such as RVE/PS, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Cuban Marti, Middle Eastern broadcasting networks (MBN) and Open Technology Fund.
According to USAGM documents, the budget request for 2025 for RVE/PS was about $ 153 million.