A judge on Tuesday ordered President Donald Trump's administration to restore funding to Voice of America and other U.S.-funded media, saying its abrupt shutdown of the outlets broke the law.

The federal judge in Washington agreed to a request led by the outlets' employees for a preliminary injunction, a temporary order as a court examines the legal challenge in greater depth.

Trump, who has long jostled with the press and questioned the editorial rules that prohibit interference in government-funded media, issued an executive order on March 14 to eliminate the outlets.