A US court has declared that the practical closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the reinstatement of hundreds of its reporters.
Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally established during World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Changes and Mass Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
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 Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the judge labeled 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 no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued 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 journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Future and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
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 deeply divided.
