A US judge has determined that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the return of many of its staff.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Origins and Recent Closure
The VOA was first established during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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.
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 approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
