A federal court has ruled that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first established in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on paid administrative leave 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 found that Lake did not have the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was 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 reporters.
Unclear Next Steps and Wider Implications
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 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.
