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An US court has declared that the practical shuttering of the Voice of America last year was against the law and has commanded the return of hundreds of its reporters.

Court Mandate Issues One-Week Deadline

Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to get the VOA broadcasting again.

Wartime Origins and Recent Shutdown

The VOA was first created during World War Two to combat Nazi disinformation.

Just weeks after returning to office as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order to close the broadcaster, which his administration 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 lead the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company that manages and finances the VOA and related networks.

Lake proceeded to fire the vast majority 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 affected staff have been on paid administrative leave 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 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 Tuesday's decision, the judge described the decision to fire 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.

“Defendants have provided no a principled basis for their decision,” Lamberth stated in his opinion.

Journalists’ Lawsuit and Response

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 told the Associated Press.

Uncertain Next Steps and Wider Implications

It is not clear if Lake's nominated successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment needs Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling.

Prior to its shutdown, the VOA broadcast TV, radio, and digital content in almost 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 highly polarised.