An US judge has ruled that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the return of hundreds of its reporters.
Judicial Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally established during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political 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 named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful 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.
Court’s Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
