🔗 Share this article American Judge Orders Former President Trump's Government to Resume Operations at Voice of America. Media tools in a studio. (Image Credit: Getty Images) A federal judge has ruled that the effective shuttering of the VOA last year was unlawful and has ordered the reinstatement of many of its staff. Court Order Issues 7-Day Timeline District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has given authorities one week to put the international broadcaster back on air. Historical Origins and Recent Shutdown The VOA was first set up during 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 shut down the broadcaster, which his officials claimed had left-wing bias. The order also included networks such as Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, calling for them to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”. Management Changes and Widespread Firings President Trump appointed 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 the vast majority of the agency's employees—more than 1,000 staff at VOA by itself—leaving just a small number of employees remaining. Most of the dismissed 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 Decision 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 confirmed by the US Senate. In Tuesday's decision, the federal judge labeled 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 wrote. Journalists’ Lawsuit and Reaction Three VOA journalists had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. One of them, Patsy Widakuswara, expressed being profoundly thankful for the judge's decision. “We hope the American people will continue to support our mission to produce journalism, not propaganda,” she told the Associated Press. Uncertain Future and Wider Context It is uncertain if Lake's proposed successor, Sarah Rogers—whose appointment requires Senate confirmation—will challenge the ruling. Before being wound down, the VOA transmitted TV, radio, and digital content in nearly 50 languages. Trump's criticisms of the VOA form part of his wider attacks against the US media, which research indicates American news consumers view as deeply divided.