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A federal judge has ruled 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.

Judicial Mandate Issues 7-Day Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has granted the government seven days to put the international broadcaster back on air.

Wartime Roots and Recent Shutdown

The VOA was originally set up in World War Two to combat 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 left-wing bias. The order also targeted networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, stating they should be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

Management Changes and Widespread Dismissals

President Trump named 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 terminate over 85 percent of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA alone—with only a handful of employees in their jobs.

Most of the dismissed 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 found 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 decision, the judge described the decision to sack the journalists as unreasonable and impulsive, adding that the government had failed to consider legislation that determine what languages and regions the VOA must serve.

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

Journalists’ Legal Challenge and Response

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

Uncertain Future and Broader Context

It is not clear if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will appeal.

Before being wound down, the VOA broadcast 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 studies suggest American news consumers view as deeply divided.