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A US court has determined that the effective closure of the Voice of America last year was unlawful and has commanded the return of many of its reporters.

Court Order Sets 7-Day Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities seven days to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Historical Origins and Trump-Era Closure

The VOA was first set up in World War Two with the aim of countering Nazi propaganda.

Only a short time after returning to office as president, Donald Trump issued an presidential directive to close the broadcaster, which his administration claimed had political bias. The order also targeted outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Management Shake-Up and Mass Firings

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

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

Court’s Reasoning and Ruling

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

In Tuesday's ruling, the judge labeled the decision to fire the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had not taken into account laws that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

“The government have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Reporters’ Lawsuit 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 factual reporting, not biased messaging,” she told the Associated Press.

Unclear Next Steps and Broader Implications

It is not clear 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 almost 50 languages.

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