An US court has determined that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its reporters.
Judicial Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Origins and Recent Closure
The VOA was first created during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks 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 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 terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—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.
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 ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response
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 said to the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
