In a major win for press freedom, a US federal judge has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Voice of America (VOA) employees and contractors who were laid off or placed on leave during the Trump administration.

Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the actions taken against VOA and its affiliated services violated the International Broadcasting Act, stating that the Trump administration had no legal authority to shut down the government-funded broadcaster.

The court directed the administration to reinstate all affected staff immediately. The judge emphasised that VOA, with its 80-year history, faced unprecedented disruption due to these dismissals, resulting in halted news broadcasts and an inactive website since March 15.

Several partner radio stations worldwide that relied on VOA programming have either ceased operations or resorted to airing only music.

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The ruling is being hailed as a significant step toward safeguarding journalistic independence and the integrity of publicly funded media institutions in the US.