A federal judge has declared that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the return of many of its staff.
Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Origins and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally created during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a handful of employees in their jobs.
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.
Court’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored legislation that dictate 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’ Lawsuit 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 keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
