A federal court has ruled that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has commanded the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Roots and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally created during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing 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.
Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake then terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number 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 Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled 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 decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated 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 criticisms of the VOA are part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
