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An federal court has declared that the effective closure of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of hundreds of its reporters.

Court Mandate Issues One-Week 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 originally set up during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.

Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals

President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.

Lake proceeded to sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees remaining.

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 Ruling

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

In this week's ruling, the federal judge described the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction

Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful for the judge's decision.

“We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.

Uncertain Future and Wider Context

It is not clear if Lake's nominated 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 attacks of the VOA are part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.