An federal court has ruled that the practical closure of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the return of hundreds of its reporters.
Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally created in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to sack 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 leave with pay since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Judge’s Rationale 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 Tuesday's decision, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued 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.
Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Implications
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 are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
