A federal court has determined that Kari Lake, selected by President Donald Trump to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, overstepped her legal boundaries when she dramatically reduced Voice of America operations. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth issued the Saturday ruling, though its immediate impact on VOA’s current status remains unclear.
Lake dismissed Lamberth’s decision as “bogus” and announced plans to appeal the ruling.
The international broadcasting service, which began delivering news worldwide during World War II, now functions with minimal staff covering only select languages following Lake’s decision to end contracts and terminate most personnel.
While Trump selected Lake to oversee the agency responsible for Voice of America and similar services including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, she has not received Senate approval for the position. Judge Lamberth determined that existing laws preventing unqualified government appointments blocked her authority to act in this role.
“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.
The court decision addressed a legal challenge brought by Patsy Widakuswara, Voice of America’s White House bureau chief, along with colleagues Kate Neeper and Jessica Jerreat. These journalists were among those terminated by Lake and have contested her decisions.
“We feel vindicated and deeply grateful,” the journalists said in a statement. They described the ruling against Lake as “a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love.” The group noted they continue working to understand how the decision affects colleagues whose professional futures remain uncertain.
Voice of America supporters view the service as demonstrating America’s “soft power” by providing objective news coverage to nations where governments restrict information access. Lake has argued that government-funded news organizations waste resources and should instead advance the administration’s positions.
Reporters Without Borders stated that Lamberth’s ruling confirmed their belief that the administration illegally dismantled VOA operations. However, additional steps are needed to restore VOA journalists to their positions, according to Clayton Weimers, executive director of the organization’s North American division.
“This case is proof that fighting for press freedom matters,” Weimers said.
In a statement posted on X, Lake expressed strong disagreement with the court’s decision.
“The American people gave President Trump a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government,” she 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.”
