Voice of America employees allowed to return to work after legal victory

In the United States, Voice of America (VOA) employees and contractors were recently granted permission to return to their work amid ongoing legal battles that stemmed from actions taken by the Trump administration. This decision followed a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in late April 2025, which indicated that the administration's attempts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA, were likely unconstitutional. The judge's ruling was met with an appeal by the administration, but it allowed staff to resume operations while a further review took place. The directive for employees to return to work indicated a phased approach, as security and logistical considerations were taken into account following months of being sidelined. Since March, when staff was abruptly ordered to halt work amid a significant restructuring plan put forth by then-President Donald Trump, most of VOA's programs had been effectively frozen. The organization's established practices of providing news in countries without free press made the situation more dire, especially for audiences dependent on VOA’s reporting. Kari Lake, a former Trump loyalist chosen to lead the agency’s overhaul, had previously labeled VOA as “unsalvageable.” However, with the recent court rulings allowing the agency to resume operations, her stance began to shift towards modernization efforts. She indicated in a memo to staff that the coming days would provide clarity on steps forward, aligning with the broader mission of VOA to provide critical global news. Despite this shift, some VOA employees remained skeptical about the sustainability of the reinstatement and the overall future of the agency under political pressures. Still, the Justice Department's decision to restore access and reestablish programming marked a significant moment for the agency and signaled a potential reconciliation of its operations with congressional mandates and funding. As Voice of America transitions back to regular broadcasts, it faces the challenge of regaining its previous audience size of over 340 million globally, after undergoing major disruptions. VOA’s charter, established in 1976, underscores its mission of delivering accurate news without governmental interference, a constitutional provision the current administration has posed substantial threats to work against.