An US judge has declared that the practical shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first created during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing 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 Widespread Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then fire over 85 percent 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 paid administrative leave since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Judge’s Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
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 the Associated Press.
Unclear Future 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 attacks of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
