Judge Voids Kari Lake’s USAGM Actions, Voids VOA Layoffs
Judge Royce C. Lamberth found Kari Lake’s July–November 2025 tenure unlawful and voided mass layoffs and other actions at the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
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Overview
U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled Saturday that Kari Lake unlawfully served as acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, voiding actions she took between July 31 and November 19, 2025.
Lake had joined USAGM in March 2025 as a senior adviser and was promoted amid efforts by the Trump administration to defund the agency and after firing all but one member of the seven-person International Broadcasting Advisory Board.
Lake said she would appeal the ruling and called it outrageous, while plaintiffs including Voice of America journalists Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat and Kate Neeper said they felt vindicated.
Lake cut contracts and over 1,000 staff positions, reduced Voice of America from 49 languages to four, and Congress appropriated half a billion dollars more than Lake requested for USAGM in 2026.
Lamberth relied on the Vacancies Reform Act and the Appointments Clause to void Lake's actions, and the ruling leaves unresolved how Voice of America’s operations and rehiring will proceed as Lake appeals.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a legal and institutional rebuke to the Trump administration, emphasizing harm to Voice of America and rule-of-law themes. They foreground the judge's findings, plaintiffs' relief and watchdog commentary, use loaded verbs (e.g., 'null and void,' 'killing') and allot limited space to administration responses.
FAQ
Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled that Kari Lake's appointment as acting CEO violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the Constitution's Appointments Clause, as she was not the first assistant at the time of the vacancy and lacked Senate confirmation.
The ruling voided all actions by Lake from July 31 to November 19, 2025, including mass layoffs of over 1,000 staff (specifically 639 layoff notices), contract cuts, reduction of Voice of America from 49 languages to four, and major personnel decisions.
Kari Lake strongly disagreed with the ruling, called it outrageous by an activist judge, and stated that the government would appeal, emphasizing the Trump administration's mandate to cut bureaucracy.
The ruling leaves unresolved how Voice of America’s operations and rehiring of laid-off staff will proceed, as Lake plans to appeal; Congress appropriated $500 million more than requested for USAGM in 2026.
The plaintiffs included Voice of America journalists Patsy Widakuswara, Jessica Jerreat, and Kate Neeper, who stated they felt vindicated by the ruling.