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A federal court has declared that the effective closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the return of many of its journalists.

Judicial Mandate Issues 7-Day Deadline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure

The VOA was first established 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 officials claimed had political 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.

Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Firings

President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.

Lake proceeded to sack the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a handful 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 Rationale and Decision

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.

In Tuesday's ruling, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Lawsuit 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she said to reporters.

Unclear Future and Broader Context

It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.

Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his broader criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.