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An US judge has determined that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the return of hundreds of its staff.

Judicial Order Sets 7-Day Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown

The VOA was first established during World War Two to counter Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order 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.

Leadership Shake-Up and Widespread Firings

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

Lake then terminate the vast majority of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—with only a handful of employees remaining.

Most of the affected 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.

Court’s Rationale and Decision

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

In this week's decision, the federal 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 reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Legal Challenge and Reaction

Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful for the judge's decision.

“We hope the American people will keep support our mission to produce factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she said to the Associated Press.

Unclear Future and Broader Context

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

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

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