A US court has determined that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the reinstatement of many of its reporters.
Court Order Sets 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally created during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of 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.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
President Trump named 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 sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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.
Judge’s Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.
“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told reporters.
Unclear Next Steps and Wider Context
It is not clear 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 nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.