A US court has declared that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
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 Closure
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—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 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 decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no 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, 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 told reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted 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 studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
