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A federal judge has determined that the effective shutdown of the Voice of America last year was “illegal” and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its staff.

Judicial Mandate Sets One-Week Timeline

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

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Shutdown

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

Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an presidential directive to shut down the broadcaster, which his administration accused of political 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”.

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 related 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 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 Reasoning and Ruling

Last week, Judge Lamberth found 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 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’ Legal Challenge and Reaction

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 the Associated Press.

Unclear Next Steps and Wider Context

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

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 wider attacks against the US media, which studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.