American Judge Mandates Trump Administration to Restart the VOA broadcaster.

An US court has determined that the practical shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of many of its reporters.

Judicial Mandate Issues One-Week Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure

The VOA was first established during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Leadership Changes and Widespread Dismissals

President Trump appointed Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.

Lake proceeded to fire over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a handful of employees in their jobs.

Most of the affected 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 Ruling

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 approved by the US Senate.

In Tuesday's decision, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, 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 principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response

Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.

“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she said to reporters.

Uncertain Future and Broader Implications

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

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

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