An US judge has declared that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Order Issues 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally established during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management 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 related networks.
Lake then terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful 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 authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful 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 Future and Broader Context
It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 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.
