RFE/RL grant agreement back in effect, uncertainty remains over funding

March 27, Pozirk. The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) informed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) yesterday that it rescinded the letter terminating its grant agreement and that the agreement is “back in effect.”

The letter added that the recission “is without prejudice to USAGM’s authority to terminate the grant at a later date if USAGM were to determine that such termination was appropriate under the applicable law.”

This comes after a federal judge temporarily barred USAGM and Kari Lake, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser at the agency, from moving ahead with plans to cut off all federal funds to RFE/RL.

The international network seeks a permanent reversal of Lake’s orders to wind down all operations, despite a congressional appropriation of $142 million for the current fiscal year running until the end of September.

On March 24, a hearing was held in Washington of the lawsuit filed by RFE/RL against USAGM to prevent “irreparable harm” to the broadcaster.

On March 14, Trump signed an executive order calling for massive layoffs at seven federal agencies, including USAGM.

The United States launched RFE in 1950 to broadcast uncensored news to Soviet satellite states, and RL in 1953 to provide reporting for the Soviet Union.

The Belarus Service, Radyjo Svaboda, went on air in 1954.

After the 2020 unrest, the Belarusian government labeled it an extremist group and arrested several journalists, including Aleh Hruzdzilovič, Andrej Kuzniečyk, Ihar Karniej and Ihar Losik, forcing the editorial staff into exile.

Also read: RFE/RL funding cuts would please Moscow and Minsk – CEO