🔗 Share this article

An US judge has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.

Court Mandate Issues One-Week Timeline

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

Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown

The VOA was first created in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.

Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Management Shake-Up and Mass Firings

President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.

Lake then fire the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.

Most of the affected 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.

Court’s Reasoning and Decision

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension 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 sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation 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.

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response

Three VOA journalists had sued 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 told the Associated Press.

Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications

It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.

Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.

Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.