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A federal court has determined that the practical closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the return of many of its staff.

Judicial Order Sets One-Week Timeline

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Historical Roots and Trump-Era Shutdown

The VOA was originally created during World War Two to counter Nazi disinformation.

Only a short time after being sworn in again as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to defund the broadcaster, which his officials accused of political bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be phased out as much as legally possible.

Leadership Shake-Up and Mass Firings

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

Lake then fire 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 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.

Court’s Rationale and Ruling

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

In this week's ruling, the judge described the decision to fire the journalists as “arbitrary and capricious,”, adding that the government had failed to consider laws that dictate what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“The government have provided no a reasonable basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Lawsuit and Response

Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, said she was deeply grateful 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 Future and Wider Implications

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

Prior to its shutdown, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in almost 50 languages.

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