An federal court has ruled that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its reporters.
Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first set up in World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
President Trump named 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 terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay 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 found 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 decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled 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 profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 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.
