Trump-Appointed Judge Orders Reinstatement of 1,000+ Voice of America Staffers
A Republican-appointed federal judge ruled that attempts to shutter the federal news agency VOA are illegal, ordering over 1,000 workers to be reinstated by March 23.
In a major legal victory for the Voice of America (VOA), a Republican-appointed federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of more than 1,000 employees who were effectively dismissed under the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the federal news agency.
In two separate rulings issued on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce Lamberth stated that attempts to shut down operations of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the independent federal agency that oversees VOA, are illegal. The judge mandated that all affected employees must be returned to their positions by March 23.
The controversial moves to undermine VOA were part of the Trump administration's broader campaign to reshape the traditionally independent agency, which broadcasts news and information in more than 40 languages to audiences around the world. Critics accused the administration of seeking to turn the broadcaster into a pro-Trump propaganda outlet.
However, Judge Lamberth's rulings dealt a significant blow to those efforts, effectively reinstating the agency's editorial independence and staffing levels. The decision represents a major win for advocates of press freedom and the integrity of US international broadcasting.
Source: The Guardian
