An federal judge has declared that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of many of its reporters.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—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 Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved 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 ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Context
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
