A US judge has ruled that the effective closure of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of hundreds of its reporters.
Court Mandate Issues One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally established in World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head 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 alone—with only a small number of employees remaining.
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.
Judge’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws 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.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction
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 journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Future and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
