Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the US-funded news outlet established during the Cold War to reach people under Communist regimes, filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday.

The lawsuit aims to block the termination of its federal grant, which was recently cut by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

The cuts affect not only RFE/RL, which broadcasts to Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine, but also Radio Free Asia, which serves China and North Korea.

The decision to cut funding has been widely criticized by press freedom advocates and human rights organizations. Additionally, over 1,300 employees of Voice of America were placed on leave after Trump ordered cuts across USAGM and several other federal agencies.

In its lawsuit, RFE/RL argued that terminating the grant violates federal laws, including the US Constitution, which grants Congress the exclusive authority over federal spending.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus called the move a dangerous step towards ceding influence to adversaries' propaganda and censorship. The case was filed in US District Court for the District of Columbia.

While the Trump administration justified the cuts as part of its broader cost-reduction efforts, the action has drawn backlash from those who view it as an attack on free speech and independent journalism.