A federal court has ruled that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first created in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political bias. The order also included networks 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 Mass Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed 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 Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was 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 said to the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
