🔗 Share this article

An federal judge has declared that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the return of hundreds of its reporters.

Court Order Sets 7-Day Timeline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Historical Origins and Recent Closure

The VOA was originally set up in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.

Leadership Changes and Widespread Firings

President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.

Lake proceeded to terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just a small number of employees in their jobs.

Most of the dismissed 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.

Judge’s Rationale and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked 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 federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“The government have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.

Journalists’ Legal Challenge 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 journalism, not propaganda,” she said to the Associated Press.

Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Context

It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

Prior to its shutdown, 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 highly polarised.