US: Judge orders VOA employees to be reinstated

"Defendants have provided nothing approaching a principled basis for their decision. The judge ordered that 1,042 VOA employees, who were placed on paid administrative leave for the past year, be reinstated by March 23 and instructed USAGM to present a plan by next week to resume international broadcasts."

"Voice of America was established after the Second World War and became an important instrument of US soft power around the world. Before Trump's executive order, VOA had operated in 49 different languages, broadcasting to 362 million people often in countries with limited press freedom."

"We are eager 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."

A US federal judge directed the Trump administration to reinstate 1,042 Voice of America employees by March 23 and restart the state broadcaster's operations. The ruling came after the judge previously determined that President Trump's appointment of Kari Lake to lead the US Agency for Global Media was unlawful, invalidating the layoffs. Lake had reduced staffing and funding at VOA, which operates in 49 languages and broadcasts to 362 million people globally. The judge ordered USAGM to present a plan to resume international broadcasts. Voice of America, established after World War II, serves as a US soft power instrument, particularly in countries with limited press freedom. Trump has opposed VOA's editorial independence, which is protected by rules limiting government involvement in reporting.

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