Judge reverses Trump era shutdown of Voice of America

A U.S. federal judge has mandated the full reinstatement of funding and jobs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-supported international broadcasters, ruling that the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back operations violated both constitutional protections and federal law.

The ruling comes in response to actions that saw more than 1,300 employees—most of them journalists—placed on administrative leave following directives from then-President Donald Trump, who had accused VOA of harboring anti-Trump sentiments and promoting radical content.

Established during World War II as a counter to Nazi propaganda, VOA has grown into a prominent global media outlet, primarily broadcasting via radio. Judge Royce Lamberth underscored the significance of the disruption, noting that the organization had effectively stopped reporting the news for the first time in its eight-decade history due to the cuts.

In his decision, Lamberth criticized the administration for acting without consideration for the consequences on employees, freelance contractors, and the international audiences who depend on VOA, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. He ordered the government to reinstate all affected personnel and restore operations to their pre-order status.

The court also found that the administration likely breached the International Broadcasting Act and overstepped congressional authority on budget allocations.

Patsy Widakuswara, VOA’s White House bureau chief and lead plaintiff in the legal challenge, welcomed the ruling but warned that it could face an appeal. “This is only the beginning. We remain committed to defending our mission to report accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news, in line with our congressional mandate,” she stated.

Criticism of VOA has been a recurring theme for Trump, who often targeted media institutions during his presidency. Early in his term, he appointed political ally Kari Lake—an advocate of unsubstantiated election fraud claims—to oversee VOA’s operations.

In March, Trump instructed the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which manages VOA and related outlets, to be dismantled "as much as the law allows.

Judge Lamberth’s final ruling, issued in Washington, D.C., emphasized the administration’s lack of legal authority to shut down VOA, a service funded by Congress and bound by statutory responsibilities to deliver credible news worldwide. “Few actions could better exemplify arbitrary and capricious decision-making than what the defendants attempted here,” he wrote.

As of now, neither the White House nor USAGM has responded to the judgment.