A US court has determined that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Judicial Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown
The VOA was originally set up during World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.
Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.
Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump appointed Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and other networks.
Lake proceeded to fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful 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.
Court’s Reasoning and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake did not have 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 decision, the judge labeled the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, 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 reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.
Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction
Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being 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 Implications
It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.
Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages.
Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.
