A US judge has determined that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has commanded the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Court Mandate Sets One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally established in World War Two to counter 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 political bias. The order also included outlets 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 Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on paid administrative leave 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 Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Uncertain Next Steps 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 almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
