VOA Reporters Claim First Amendment Violations In Federal Lawsuit.

A group of journalists has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging efforts to use the Voice of America (VOA) to promote propaganda and suppress reporting from the White House.

Two current VOA journalists and two former reporters joined the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, filing with press freedom organizations Pen America and Reporters Without Borders. The lawsuit claims the administration violated their First Amendment rights.

The complaint asserts that the Trump administration sought to “suppress coverage of events that it wishes had not occurred” and was directing “that its own partisan messages be passed off to viewers and listeners as ‘news.’”

“Censorship and propaganda are two sides of the same coin. All of this violates the federal statutes that govern VOA, and the Constitution itself; and all of this undermines the credibility of the United States in the eyes of the world,” the attorneys wrote in the filing reviewed by The Hill.

The journalists allege that VOA’s parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), under Acting CEO Michael Rigas and Kari Lake, censored interviews, video footage, and stories on anti-government protests in Iran. The complaint claims VOA’s Persian Service was also directed to avoid reporting on certain opposition elements within the Iranian regime.

The lawsuit follows a court ruling earlier this month that found Lake had unlawfully managed the independent federal agency and ordered VOA to reinstate employees after staff reductions under the Trump administration.

President Trump has nominated Sarah B. Rogers, undersecretary of State for public diplomacy, as USAGM’s Senate-approved CEO. If confirmed, Rogers would replace Rigas.

A USAGM spokesperson said the agency “is responsible for oversight of its networks, including Voice of America, and for ensuring compliance with the VOA Charter, which requires authoritative, accurate journalism that is reflective of and clearly presents U.S. policies.” The spokesperson added that taxpayer funds “must support broadcasting that reflects U.S. policy and the interests of the American people.”

The complaint emphasizes that federal law requires VOA to provide “reliable and authoritative, accurate, objective, and comprehensive” news coverage free from political influence. The filing stresses that independent reporting is “a fundamental safeguard against propaganda, misinformation, and the manipulation of public understanding during international crises.”

The plaintiffs are requesting relief from viewpoint discrimination, nominal damages, attorney fees, and any additional remedies the court deems appropriate.