A US judge has declared that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has ordered the return of hundreds of its reporters.
Judicial Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally established during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number 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 ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the judge described 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 no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response
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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context
It is uncertain 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 nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
