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A US court has determined that the practical closure of the VOA last year was “illegal” and has directed the return of hundreds of its journalists.

Court Order Sets One-Week Timeline

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

Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown

The VOA was originally created in World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be phased out as much as legally possible.

Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings

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

Lake proceeded to sack 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 affected staff have been on paid administrative leave since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.

Court’s Rationale and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked 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 judge described the decision to fire 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.

“The government have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.

Journalists’ Lawsuit 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 keep support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” 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.

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

Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.