A US court has declared that the effective closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the return of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first established in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a handful 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 Ruling
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 this week's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his wider criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
