A US judge has determined that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has ordered the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Mandate Issues 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Origins and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay 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 did not have the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that determine 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 Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
