An US judge has declared that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the reinstatement of hundreds of its staff.
Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.
Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally created in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just 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 Ruling
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 decision, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Response
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 journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.
Uncertain Future and Broader Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.
Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted 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 research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.
