An federal judge has declared that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first created in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed 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”.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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 ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire 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.
“Defendants 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, expressed being 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.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast 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 deeply divided.
