A federal court has determined that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was against the law and has ordered the return of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Order Sets One-Week Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally created during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had 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.
Leadership Changes 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 other networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on paid administrative leave since last year. This included 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 found that Lake lacked 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 ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being 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.
Unclear Future and Wider Context
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed 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 criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
