An US court has determined that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the return of many of its staff.
Court Order Issues 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was first established during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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 ruled that Lake did not have 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 unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
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 continue to support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.
Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 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 highly polarised.
