An US judge has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was first set up during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company 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 in their jobs.
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 Reasoning and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's ruling, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ 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 keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs 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 form part of his wider criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
