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A US court has determined that the effective closure of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the return of many of its staff.

Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government 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.

Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks 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 Mass Firings

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

Lake then fire over 85 percent 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 paid administrative leave since last year. This even applied to Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.

Court’s Rationale 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 Tuesday's decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Journalists’ 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.

Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Context

It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.

Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast 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 research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.