A federal court has declared that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
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 being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed 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 fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed 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.
Judge’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled 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 judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she said to reporters.
Uncertain Future and Wider Context
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 almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
