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An federal court has ruled that the effective closure of the VOA last year was against the law and has commanded the return of hundreds of its reporters.

Court Order Issues One-Week Timeline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown

The VOA was originally established in World War Two to combat Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after being sworn in again 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 appointed Kari Lake to run the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that oversees and funds the VOA and related networks.

Lake proceeded to fire more than 85% of the agency's employees—over 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a handful of employees in their jobs.

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

Court’s Reasoning and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth found that Lake lacked the authority to suspend the operations 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 not taken into account 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 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 said to reporters.

Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Implications

It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

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

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