March 8, 2026 / 1:18 AM EST / CBS/AP
A federal judge ruled Saturday that Kari Lake, President Trump’s choice to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, did not have legal authority to take the actions she carried out to largely dismantle the Voice of America. The decision’s effect on VOA operations was not immediately clear.
Voice of America, which has transmitted news to countries around the world since World War II, is operating with a skeleton staff in only a handful of languages after Lake terminated contracts and laid off most of its employees.
Lake had been chosen by Mr. Trump to effectively lead the agency that oversees Voice of America and other services like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. But she has not received Senate confirmation for her role, and U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth said she lacked authority to act in that capacity because of laws that guard against unqualified government appointments.
“Only the Appointments Clause or the Vacancies Act’s exclusive structure may authorize service as a principal officer, and Lake satisfies the requirements of neither the statute nor the Constitution,” Lamberth wrote.
Lamberth effectively voided all actions Lake took when she assumed the CEO role at USAGM on July 31, 2025, until she moved to a senior adviser role on Nov. 19, 2025. That would include the hundreds of layoffs at Voice of America and other USAGM departments. USAGM is considered an independent federal agency.
In a statement provided to CBS News, Lake blasted the decision and said she would appeal.
“The American people gave President Trump a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government,” Lake said. “An activist judge is trying to stand in the way of those efforts at USAGM. Judge Lamberth has a pattern of activist rulings — and this case is no different. We strongly disagree with this decision and will appeal.”
Lamberth was ruling on a lawsuit filed by Patsy Widakuswara, Voice of America’s White House bureau chief, and colleagues Kate Neeper and Jessica Jerreat. They were among employees laid off by Lake and have been fighting the actions.
“We feel vindicated and deeply grateful,” the journalists said in a statement. They called the ruling “a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love,” and said they are still trying to determine what the decision means for colleagues whose careers have been in limbo.
Proponents of Voice of America describe it as an instrument of U.S. “soft power” that offers unbiased news to countries where governments control information. Lake has argued government-run outlets are wasteful and should promote the administration’s views.
Reporters Without Borders said Lamberth’s decision affirmed its belief that the administration acted unlawfully to gut VOA, but added more must be done to ensure VOA journalists can return to work, said Clayton Weimers, executive director of the organization’s North American branch. “This case is proof that fighting for press freedom matters,” Weimers said.
Lake, a Trump loyalist who lost bids for Arizona governor in 2022 and the U.S. Senate in 2024, was initially tapped by Mr. Trump to be VOA director before efforts to install her as CEO. Voice of America began broadcasting in 1942 and, as of 2024, carried news in 49 languages to an estimated 354 million people weekly. It is unclear how the staffing cuts have affected its reach.