American Judge Orders Former President Trump's Government to Resume Operations at VOA.
A federal court has determined that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.
Historical Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally established during World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.
Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also included networks 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 Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay since last year. This even applied to 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 ruled that Lake did not have the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was 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 reporters.
Unclear Future and Broader Implications
It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.
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 criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.
