A US court has determined that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the return of hundreds of its reporters.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
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 terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected staff have been on paid administrative leave since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Court’s Reasoning and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Future and Wider 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 transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
