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An US court has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was against the law and has directed the return of many of its reporters.

Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.

Wartime Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown

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

Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also included 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 Firings

President Trump appointed 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 fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—leaving just 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 found that Lake did not have the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.

In Tuesday's decision, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, 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.

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Reaction

Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against 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 told reporters.

Unclear Future and Wider Implications

It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will appeal.

Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted 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.