An federal judge has determined that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of many of its journalists.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.
Leadership Changes and Mass Firings
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 proceeded to terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the affected staff have been on leave with pay since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.
Court’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, 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 wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told reporters.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is not clear 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 are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
