An federal court has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has commanded the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Court Order Issues One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was first 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 shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Mass Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the affected staff have been on leave with pay since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Judge’s Reasoning and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, 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 principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was 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 Context
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
