An US judge has declared that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has commanded the return of many of its journalists.
Court Mandate Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally established in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of 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 Changes and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful 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.
Judge’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge labeled the decision to sack 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 no 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, expressed being 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 said to reporters.
Unclear Future and Wider Context
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted 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 highly polarised.
