An federal court has declared that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first set up during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials 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.
Leadership Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake then sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just 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.
Judge’s Reasoning and Decision
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 ruling, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge 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 reporters.
Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
