Trending Now - Court Restores VOA Jobs Amid Ongoing Labor Disputes
WHO:
U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America Director
Kari Lake, Trump’s choice to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)
Patsy Widakuswara, Voice of America's White House bureau chief and plaintiff in the lawsuit
Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper, USAGM employees and plaintiffs in the lawsuit
Steve Herman, VOA veteran and journalism center director
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America Director
Sarah Rogers, nominated by Trump to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)
U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth
President Trump
Kari Lake, Trump's choice to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)
Patsy Widakuswara, Voice of America's White House bureau chief and plaintiff in the lawsuit
Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper, USAGM employees and plaintiffs in the lawsuit
Steve Herman, VOA veteran and journalism center director
WHAT:
Judge Lamberth ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media to restore the Voice of America's operations and to reinstate 1,042 employees who had been sidelined.
The ruling stated that the Trump administration's decision to sideline 1,042 of VOA's 1,147 employees was unlawful.
Lamberth described the actions taken by Kari Lake as "arbitrary and capricious" and stated that the government did not consider federal laws regarding VOA's operations.
Lamberth mandated that VOA's news reporting and programming must be restored by March 23, 2026.
Judge Lamberth ruled that Kari Lake unlawfully took on almost all powers of the chief executive of USAGM.
The Voice of America was operating with a skeleton staff since March 15, 2025.
The Voice of America had been reduced to six language services early in 2026, down from 49 language services reaching 361 million people weekly before the shutdown.
A federal judge ordered the reinstatement of 1,042 sidelined Voice of America (VOA) employees.
The ruling reversed actions taken by Kari Lake to reduce VOA's operations to the "statutory minimum" required by Congress.
The judge described the administration's actions as "arbitrary and capricious."
The court mandated that VOA's news reporting and programming must be restored.
The deadline for reinstatement of employees is March 23, 2026.
WHERE:
Voice of America, a U.S.-funded international broadcaster
WHEN:
The ruling was issued on March 17, 2026.
The deadline for the reinstatement of employees is March 23, 2026.
The ruling on the actions taken by Kari Lake was issued on March 17, 2026.
The ruling was issued on March 17, 2026.
The previous ruling by Lamberth occurred on March 7, 2026.
The executive order to shut down VOA was issued by Trump on March 15, 2025.
WHY:
Judge Lamberth ruled that Kari Lake lacked the legal authority to implement the shutdown due to not having Senate confirmation.
The judge noted that the administration failed to consider Congress' intentions regarding funding for the agency.
Judge Lamberth stated that Lake failed to consider Congress' intentions regarding funding for the agency and the implications of effectively shutting it down.
The judge ruled that Kari Lake lacked the legal authority to implement the shutdown due to not having Senate confirmation.
The actions taken by the Trump administration were deemed unlawful and not in compliance with federal laws regarding VOA's operations.
HOW:
The reinstatement order was a result of lawsuits brought by VOA's sidelined director and three USAGM employees.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers appropriated $643 million toward the agency earlier in 2026, specifying allocations for Voice of America and other international networks.
The reinstatement order was a result of lawsuits brought by VOA's sidelined director and three USAGM employees.
(UPDATED March 18, 2026 13:25 UTC)
On March 17, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media to restore the Voice of America's operations and reinstate 1,042 employees who had been sidelined by the Trump administration. The judge ruled that the decision to sideline these employees was unlawful, describing Kari Lake's actions as "arbitrary and capricious," and mandated that VOA's news reporting must be back in operation by March 23, 2026. This ruling came as a result of lawsuits filed by VOA's sidelined director and three USAGM employees, with Lamberth noting that Lake lacked the legal authority to implement the shutdown without Senate confirmation.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 05:29 UTC)
A federal judge has ruled that Kari Lake unlawfully assumed nearly all powers of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which has been operating with a skeleton staff since March 15, 2025. Judge Lamberth's decision, issued last Monday, highlighted that Lake did not consider Congress' intentions regarding funding for the agency, which has seen a drastic reduction from 49 language services to just six, reaching 361 million people weekly before the shutdown. Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of lawmakers allocated $643 million for the agency, specifically designating funds for Voice of America and other international networks.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 01:30 UTC)
A federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of 1,042 sidelined Voice of America employees, reversing actions taken by Kari Lake to limit the agency's operations. Judge Royce C. Lamberth described the Trump administration's efforts to reduce VOA's staff as "arbitrary and capricious," ruling that Lake lacked the legal authority to implement such a shutdown without Senate confirmation. The court mandated that VOA's news reporting and programming be restored, with a deadline for employee reinstatement set for March 23, 2026.