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An US court has declared that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has directed the reinstatement of hundreds of its journalists.

Court Order Sets One-Week Deadline

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

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown

The VOA was originally established in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi disinformation.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his officials accused of left-wing bias. The order also targeted 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 Dismissals

President Trump named Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the oversight body that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.

Lake then sack the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a small number of employees remaining.

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.

Judge’s Reasoning and Decision

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake lacked the legal power to suspend the operations of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.

In this week's ruling, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had ignored laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Reaction

Three VOA journalists had sued the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was 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.

Uncertain Future and Broader Implications

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

Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.

Trump's criticisms of the VOA are part of his wider criticism of the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as highly polarised.