A federal judge has ruled that the practical closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Changes and Mass Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful of employees in their jobs.
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 found that Lake lacked the authority 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 fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
