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A federal court has ruled that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its staff.

Court Mandate Issues 7-Day Timeline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to restore the broadcaster's operations.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown

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

Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had left-wing 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.

Leadership Changes and Widespread Firings

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

Lake proceeded to sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a handful of employees remaining.

Most of the dismissed staff have been on paid administrative leave since last year. This included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.

Judge’s Rationale and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been confirmed by the US Senate.

In this week's decision, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response

Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful 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 the Associated Press.

Unclear Future and Broader Context

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

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

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