A US court has ruled that the effective closure of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of many of its journalists.
Court Mandate Sets One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally established during World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted 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 head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a handful of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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.
Court’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled 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 labeled the decision to fire 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 nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued 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 said to the Associated Press.
Unclear Future and Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
