An federal judge has ruled that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Judicial Mandate Issues 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first established during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political 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 run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a handful of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed 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.
Judge’s Reasoning and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account 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.
Reporters’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being deeply grateful 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 Future 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 broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
