An federal court has determined that the effective shuttering of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Order Sets One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Mass Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees remaining.
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 Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching 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, said she was profoundly thankful 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.
Uncertain Future and Wider Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 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 highly polarised.
