An US judge has declared that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has directed the return of many of its journalists.
Judicial Order Issues One-Week Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Origins and Recent Closure
The VOA was originally created in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay 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 Rationale and Ruling
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided no a principled 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 deeply grateful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
