An US court has ruled that the practical shutdown of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has commanded the return of many of its reporters.
Court Order Sets One-Week Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was first set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political 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 run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful of employees in their jobs.
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.
Judge’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found 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 decision, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ 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 journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires 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 criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
