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An US judge has declared that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has directed the return of many of its staff.

Judicial Mandate Issues One-Week Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown

The VOA was first set up in World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.

Just weeks after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing 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 Changes and Mass Firings

President Trump named Kari Lake to head the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and other networks.

Lake proceeded to terminate more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only 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 Reasoning and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the authority to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.

In this week's decision, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had ignored laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“The government have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth wrote.

Journalists’ 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 continue to support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told reporters.

Unclear Future and Wider Context

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

Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.

Trump's attacks of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.