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An federal judge has ruled that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has ordered the return of many of its journalists.

Court Mandate Sets 7-Day Deadline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Historical Roots and Recent Shutdown

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

Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had 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”.

Management Changes and Mass Firings

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

Lake then sack more than 85% of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees in their jobs.

Most of the dismissed 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 found 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 ruling, the federal judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account legislation that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response

Three VOA journalists had sued 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 journalism, not propaganda,” she said to the Associated Press.

Unclear Future and Broader Context

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

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 broader criticism of the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as highly polarised.