An federal judge has declared that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Order Issues One-Week Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally created during World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted outlets 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 appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the affected staff have been on leave with pay 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 Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps 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 broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
