A federal judge ordered Voice of America to restart all news operations, mandating that more than 1,000 journalists and support staff return to work by March 23. Judge Royce C. Lamberth nullified nearly all actions taken by the Trump administration to shutter the federally funded news organization, which broadcasts to countries with limited press protections including Iran, China and Russia.

The judge ruled the Trump administration flagrantly disregarded laws funding V.O.A. and directing it to maintain news operations worldwide. This dealt another blow to Kari Lake, a Trump ally who oversaw V.O.A.'s parent agency. V.O.A. had been providing "skeletal operations" in only five languages since early 2025 when Trump signed an executive order mandating the news group shrink to its "minimum presence."

Judge Lamberth rejected the administration's argument that fewer than 20 employees could fulfill the agency's duties, stating the memo didn't explain how such low staffing would comply with Congress's standards requiring "a variety of opinions and voices." The ruling followed the judge's previous decision that Lake's appointment was illegal, which voided all layoffs but didn't order journalists back to work.