A federal court has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Judicial Mandate Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally established in World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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.
Court’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires 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 are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
