A federal judge has determined that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the return of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close 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 phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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 authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge described the decision to fire 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.
“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit 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 Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs 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 attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
