A federal judge has ruled that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Roots and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally established in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing 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 Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body 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 by itself—with only a handful 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 Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the legal power 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 sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, 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 principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful 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 Future and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
