🔗 Share this article American Judge Mandates Former President Trump's Government to Restart the VOA broadcaster. Broadcasting tools on a desk. (Image Credit: Stock Image) A federal court has declared that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the return of many of its journalists. Judicial Order Sets One-Week Deadline Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations. Historical Roots and Trump-Era Closure The VOA was first established in World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation. Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”. Management Shake-Up and Widespread Dismissals President Trump appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks. Lake then fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees remaining. Most of the dismissed 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 ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate. In this week's ruling, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve. “Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled 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, 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 told the Associated Press. Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Context It is uncertain if Lake's proposed 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 are part of his broader criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.