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An federal judge has ruled that the practical shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the reinstatement of many of its journalists.

Court Order Sets 7-Day Timeline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown

The VOA was first established in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Management Changes and Widespread 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 related networks.

Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.

Most of the affected 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 authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.

In Tuesday'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 legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction

Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being 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 the Associated Press.

Unclear Future and Wider Implications

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 form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.