An federal court has determined that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has commanded the reinstatement of many of its reporters.
Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally created in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted 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 appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed 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.
Court’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations 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 unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching 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, 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 Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires 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 wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
