An US judge has determined that the effective closure of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has commanded the return of many of its staff.
Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Mass Firings
President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake then fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees in their jobs.
Most of the dismissed staff have been on leave with pay 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 ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.
“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge 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 continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press.
Unclear Next Steps and Wider 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 almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
