American Jurist Mandates Former President Trump's Government to Reopen VOA.

A federal court has determined that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its reporters.

Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Wartime Origins and Recent Closure

The VOA was originally established during World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.

Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had political bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Firings

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 then sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.

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 Ruling

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 approved by the US Senate.

In Tuesday's ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“Defendants have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.

Journalists’ Lawsuit 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 reporters.

Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context

It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

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

Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.