A US judge has ruled that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has directed the return of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first established during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful 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.
Judge’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that determine 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 continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications
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 broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
