A U.S. judge has ordered the reinstatement of over 1,000 Voice of America employees, blocking planned layoffs by the Trump administration.
A U.S. federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of more than 1,000 employees at Voice of America (VOA), halting plans by the administration of Donald Trump to implement sweeping layoffs.
The ruling, delivered on March 18, 2026, by Royce Lamberth, directs that affected staff return to work by March 23 and that the broadcaster resumes full international operations.
Judge Lamberth ruled that efforts to scale down activities at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, were unlawful.
The decision reinforces an earlier temporary restraining order issued in September to halt the dismissals.
The layoffs were announced in August by Kari Lake, who was appointed to lead the agency at the start of President Trump’s second term.
The move followed a March executive order directing significant reductions at the government-funded broadcaster.
Founded in 1942 during World War II, VOA was created to counter propaganda and has since grown into a major international broadcaster delivering news in multiple languages.
It remains a key instrument of U.S. public diplomacy, with legal protections intended to safeguard its editorial independence.
Despite this, President Trump has repeatedly criticised VOA, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he accused the outlet of promoting narratives aligned with the Chinese government.
The court’s latest ruling marks a significant legal setback for the administration’s efforts to restructure the agency.
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