March 8, 2026 / 1:18 AM EST / CBS/AP
A federal judge has ruled that Kari Lake, President Trump’s pick to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), did not have the legal authority to carry out the sweeping actions that largely dismantled Voice of America. The immediate practical effect of the decision on VOA broadcasts is not yet clear.
Voice of America, the government-funded broadcaster that has transmitted news worldwide since World War II, is operating with a skeleton crew and in only a few languages after Lake terminated contracts and laid off the vast majority of staff. Lake had been placed by Mr. Trump in the agency’s top leadership role overseeing VOA and other services such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, but she never received Senate confirmation.
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth said Lake lacked the authority to serve in that capacity under constitutional and statutory limits on 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,” he wrote.
Lamberth’s order effectively voids the actions Lake took while acting as USAGM CEO from July 31, 2025, until she shifted to a senior adviser role on Nov. 19, 2025. That period included hundreds of layoffs and contract terminations across Voice of America and other parts of USAGM. USAGM is an independent federal agency.
Lake reacted angrily, saying she would appeal. In a statement provided to CBS News she accused the judge of blocking efforts to cut “bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government,” and called the ruling an example of “activist” judicial interference.
The lawsuit that produced Lamberth’s decision was brought by Voice of America White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara and colleagues Kate Neeper and Jessica Jerreat, who were among those laid off. The journalists said in a joint statement that they feel “vindicated and deeply grateful,” calling the ruling “a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love.” They said they and others are still assessing what the ruling means for colleagues whose careers have been left uncertain.
Supporters of VOA describe it as a tool of U.S. “soft power” that provides independent news to audiences in countries where information is tightly controlled. Lake has argued that government-run outlets are wasteful and should reflect the administration’s views.
Reporters Without Borders said the ruling confirmed its view that the administration unlawfully sought to gut VOA, but the press freedom advocacy group added that further steps are needed to restore journalists to their posts. “This case is proof that fighting for press freedom matters,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF’s North American branch.
Lake, a Trump ally who lost races for Arizona governor in 2022 and the U.S. Senate in 2024, was first tapped by Mr. Trump as VOA director before being installed in the broader CEO role. Voice of America began broadcasting in 1942 and, as of 2024, carried news in 49 languages to an estimated 354 million weekly listeners and readers. How the staffing reductions have affected that reach remains uncertain.