An US court has determined that the practical closure of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Order Sets One-Week Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was first established during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.
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 Reasoning and Ruling
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 ruling, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 said to the Associated Press.
Uncertain Future and Wider Implications
It is not clear 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 attacks of the VOA form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
