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An federal court has determined that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its journalists.

Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Timeline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure

The VOA was first set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also included outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.

Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals

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

Lake then terminate 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 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 ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.

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

“Defendants have provided nothing approaching a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response

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 keep support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told reporters.

Unclear Next Steps and Broader Context

It is uncertain if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

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

Trump's attacks of the VOA form part of his broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.