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A federal judge voided Kari Lake’s appointment as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and invalidated the mass layoffs she ordered at Voice of America, potentially restoring more than 1,000 jobs. Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled Lake’s appointment violated the Vacancies Act because she was not properly authorized as an acting head, calling the move a breach of statutory and constitutional procedures. The decision rebukes the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape VOA’s leadership and editor
A federal judge ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media to restore Voice of America’s operations within a week, after the outlet was effectively shut down following a Trump administration executive order and actions by Kari Lake. U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled Lake lacked authority for measures that sidelined about 1,042 of VOA’s 1,147 employees, calling the defendants’ justification unprincipled. The ruling follows an earlier decision finding Lake’s actions unlawful; Lake has said she will appeal. VOA staffers and plaintiffs, including White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara, welcomed the decision and emphasized rebuilding the broadcaster’s journalism mission and global reach, which previously covered 49 languages and 362 million people.
A federal judge ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media to restore Voice of America’s operations within a week after the outlet was effectively shut down following President Trump’s executive order. Judge Royce C. Lamberth found that Kari Lake, Trump’s nominee who took actions to implement the shutdown, lacked legal authority and criticized the agency’s rationale for shelving 1,042 of VOA’s 1,147 employees. The ruling responds to a lawsuit brought by VOA staff, including White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara, who called for rebuilding the agency’s journalistic mission and global services. The decision matters because VOA is a U.S. government international broadcaster reaching hundreds of millions and its suspension raised questions about government control of state-funded media and information access abroad.
A federal judge voided the appointment of Kari Lake as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), ruling her installation invalid and overturning mass layoffs she ordered at Voice of America (VOA). Judge Royce C. Lamberth found the appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act by bypassing required succession or Senate confirmation, calling the move “violence to the statutory and constitutional scheme.” If upheld on appeal, the ruling could restore jobs for more than 1,000 VOA journalists and staff and roll back efforts by the Trump administration to reshape and influence the government-funded broadcaster, which reaches hundreds of millions globally in dozens of languages. Lake said she would appeal.
A federal judge voided Kari Lake’s appointment as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and invalidated the mass layoffs she ordered at Voice of America, potentially restoring more than 1,000 jobs. Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled Lake’s appointment violated the Vacancies Act because she was not properly authorized as an acting head, calling the move a breach of statutory and constitutional procedures. The decision rebukes the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape VOA’s leadership and editorial direction; VOA historically broadcasts in dozens of languages to countries with restricted press freedoms. Lake said she will appeal, and the ruling could be reviewed by higher courts.