A federal court has declared that the effective shuttering of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of many of its staff.
Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was first set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Changes and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the affected 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 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 this week's decision, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government 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 profoundly thankful 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 Future and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast 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 deeply divided.
