A federal appeals court on Saturday blocked a ruling that had ordered the Trump administration to allow Voice of America (VOA) to go back on air.

The publicly funded broadcaster fell silent in March after an executive order by US President Donald Trump effectively gutted the network.

The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the network's parent agency, placed over 1,000 employees on leave and terminated 600 contractors following Trump's directive. The broadcaster has been off air for almost two months.

Trump's executive order was, however, challenged in court, and US District Judge Royce Lamberth on April 22 ordered the administration to "take all necessary steps" to restore VOA employees and contractors to their positions.

Ruling puts VOA future in flux

But on Saturday afternoon, a federal appeals court in a 2-1 decision issued a stay of the lower court ruling. The appeals court ruled that Lamberth lacked jurisdiction to order the VOA employees to return to work.

US Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard dissented from the ruling, saying it "all but guarantees that the networks will no longer exist in any meaningful form by the time this case is fully adjudicated."

The appeals court ruling came after reports earlier had suggested that VOA was preparing to resume operations next week.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders had said VOA staff could begin work as early as next week, citing communication between its lawyers and the Department of Justice.

Kari Lake, a former broadcaster appointed by Trump to oversee USAGM, welcomed the appellate court ruling. "BIG WIN in our legal cases at USAGM & Voice of America. Huge victory for President Trump and Article II," Lake wrote on X.

Edited by: Sean Sinico