A US judge has ruled that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its reporters.
Court Order Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally established in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed 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.
Court’s Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
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 journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Future and Wider Context
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
