An US court has determined that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Court Mandate Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first created during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund 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 Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—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 found that Lake lacked the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the federal judge described the decision to fire 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.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being deeply grateful 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 Context
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 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.
