An US court has ruled that the effective closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Order Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing 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 named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees in their jobs.
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 Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found 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 this week's ruling, the federal 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.
“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated 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 nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
