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Judge orders Voice of America to be restored, but challenges remain
The future of the government-run news agency is uncertain despite court order to bring back employees
Mar. 21, 2026 at 9:18am
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A federal judge ordered the Voice of America (VOA), the U.S. government's international news agency, to be restored after it was largely shut down by the Trump administration. However, the Biden administration has filed an appeal, and it remains unclear if VOA will be able to return to its previous operations and level of independence.
Why it matters
The Voice of America has historically served as an important source of independent news and information for countries around the world that lack a free press. Its potential dismantling under the Trump administration raised concerns about the U.S. government's commitment to press freedom and objective journalism globally.
The details
In a ruling earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered that hundreds of VOA employees who had been on paid leave for the past year be brought back to work. Lamberth said that Kari Lake, President Trump's choice to oversee the U.S. Agency for Global Media which runs VOA, did not have the authority to reduce the news agency to a skeleton operation. However, the Biden administration has filed an appeal, and it's uncertain whether VOA will be able to fully restore its previous operations and level of independence.
- On March 7, 2026, Judge Lamberth ruled that VOA must be restored.
- On March 17, 2026, the Biden administration filed an appeal of Lamberth's order.
The players
Royce C. Lamberth
A U.S. District Court judge who ordered the restoration of the Voice of America.
Kari Lake
President Trump's choice to oversee the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which runs the Voice of America.
Michael Abramowitz
The director of the Voice of America.
Patsy Widakuswara
The White House bureau chief for the Voice of America and a plaintiff in the lawsuit to restore the agency.
David Ensor
A former director of the Voice of America between 2010 and 2014.
What they’re saying
“It is time for all parties to come together and work to rebuild and strengthen the agency.”
— Michael Abramowitz, Director of the Voice of America
“Restoring the physical infrastructure is going to take a lot of money and some time but it can be done. What is more difficult is recovering from the trauma that our newsroom has gone through.”
— Patsy Widakuswara, White House bureau chief, Voice of America
“I'm a bit of a pessimist. I think it's going to be very difficult.”
— Steve Herman, Former White House bureau chief and national correspondent, Voice of America
What’s next
The Biden administration has filed an appeal of the judge's order to restore the Voice of America, so the future of the news agency remains uncertain. A decision on the appeal is expected in the coming months.
The takeaway
The battle over the Voice of America highlights the ongoing tensions between the government's desire for favorable news coverage and the need for an independent, objective news source that can provide information to countries around the world that lack a free press. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for press freedom and the role of government-funded media.
