An federal judge has ruled that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its staff.
Court Mandate Issues One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first set up during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also included outlets 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 Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected staff have been on leave with pay since last year. This even applied to Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Judge’s Reasoning and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the judge labeled 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 Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 said to reporters.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
