Judge Orders Reinstatement of Over 1,000 Voice of America Employees
A Republican-appointed federal judge has issued a landmark ruling, ordering the reinstatement of more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) employees. This decision comes after a Trump administration order led to mass layoffs, effectively dismantling the radio network. The judge declared these attempts to shut down operations illegal, mandating that workers return by 23 March.
Legal Rulings Against Agency Shutdown
In two separate rulings made on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce Lamberth stated that efforts to close the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, are unlawful. He further instructed the agency to develop a plan for restoring VOA's broadcasting operations. This latest order follows a previous ruling just 10 days earlier, where Judge Lamberth found that former USAGM director Kari Lake had illegally led the agency.
Judge Lamberth wrote that Trump's attempts to appoint Lake and others into leadership roles "are unlawfully withholding mandatory agency action." Lake served as director from 31 July to 19 November 2025, during which she oversaw the layoffs of more than 1,000 employees. In response, Lake announced on Twitter that she plans to appeal the ruling regarding her lawful status as leader.
Reactions from VOA Leadership and Employees
Michael Abramowitz, the VOA director, praised the ruling in a statement to the Washington Post. "Voice of America has never been more needed," he said. "I am grateful for the resilience and dedication of VOA's amazing workforce." Last year, a federal judge blocked Lake from removing Abramowitz from his position, and he later filed a lawsuit against the government along with other employees.
In a separate case, former employees Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat, and Kate Neeper called the ruling a "monumental decision" in their statement to the Post. They expressed eagerness to "begin repairing the damage Kari Lake has inflicted on our agency and our colleagues, to return to our congressional mandate, and to rebuild the trust of the global audience we have been unable to serve for the past year."
Background and Impact on VOA
Voice of America is the United States' largest and oldest international broadcaster, providing funding for news agencies such as Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe. According to the Washington Post, VOA employees have been on paid administrative leave for an entire year due to the ongoing legal and administrative turmoil.
The Trump administration has sought to defund the agency since 2025, instructing Lake to reduce it to "minimum presence and function required by law." This latest judicial intervention marks a significant turn in the battle over the future of VOA, emphasizing its role in global media and the protection of its workforce under federal law.
