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A US judge has ruled that the effective shutdown of the VOA last year was unlawful and has commanded the return of many of its staff.

Judicial Order Sets One-Week Deadline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to restore the broadcaster's operations.

Historical Roots and Recent Closure

The VOA was first set up in World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.

Just weeks 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 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 Mass Dismissals

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

Lake proceeded to sack over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 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 included Persian Service reporters who were temporarily|called back to work after Israel attacked Iran last June.

Judge’s Reasoning and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth ruled that Lake did not have the legal power to order the suspension of the USAGM workforce, as she had not been approved by the US Senate.

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

“Defendants 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, 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 told the Associated Press.

Uncertain Next Steps and Broader Context

It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires 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 form part of his broader attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.