A US federal judge has ruled that the shutdown of Voice of America was unlawful, ordering the government to restore operations and reinstate hundreds of affected journalists.
District Court Judge Royce Lamberth gave authorities one week to return the broadcaster to the air. He described the decision to dismiss staff as “arbitrary and capricious,” noting that it failed to follow legal requirements guiding the agency’s operations.
Voice of America, established during World War II to counter propaganda, had been effectively shut down after Donald Trump returned to office and signed an executive order targeting the outlet over alleged bias. The directive also extended to affiliated networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia.
Following the order, Kari Lake, who was appointed to lead the US Agency for Global Media, oversaw mass layoffs affecting more than 85 percent of the workforce, including over 1,000 VOA employees. Many staff members were placed on administrative leave.
In an earlier ruling, the court found that Lake lacked the authority to suspend the agency’s workforce, as her appointment had not been confirmed by the Senate.
The latest decision came after three VOA journalists filed suit against the administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, welcomed the ruling, expressing hope that the broadcaster’s mission of independent journalism would continue.
It remains unclear whether the government or incoming agency leadership will appeal the judgment.
Before its closure, VOA operated across television, radio, and digital platforms, broadcasting in nearly 50 languages worldwide.
