An federal judge has ruled that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Court Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first set up in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Judge’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
