A federal court has ruled that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of hundreds of its staff.
Court Order Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first created during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing 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 Mass Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on paid administrative leave since last year. This included 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 found 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 Tuesday's decision, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's nominated 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 almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
