An US court has ruled that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its staff.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Leadership Changes and Mass Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% 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 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 did not have the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Wider Implications
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
