American Judge Mandates Former President Trump's Government to Reopen Voice of America.
An US judge has declared that the practical shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.
Court Order Sets 7-Day Timeline
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.
Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown
The VOA was originally set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.
Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.
Management Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals
President Trump named Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.
Lake proceeded to fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a small number of employees remaining.
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 Rationale and Decision
Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.
In this week's decision, the federal judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored 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’ Legal Challenge and Response
Three VOA journalists had sued 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 said to the Associated Press.
Uncertain Future and Broader Implications
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 almost 50 languages.
Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.
