U.S. federal judge rules Trump administration’s actions to dismantle Voice of America are illegal

Kari Lake speaks to supporters at a campaign event, Sept. 4, 2024, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

A U.S. federal judge ruled Saturday that Kari Lake, U.S. President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, did not have legal authority to take the actions she’s done to largely dismantle the Voice of America. The decision’s effect on VOA operations was not immediately clear.

Lake called the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth “bogus” and said it will be appealed.

Voice of America, which has transmitted news coverage to countries around the world since its formation during 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 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 Lamberth said she did not have authority to act in that capacity due to 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 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 the employees laid off by Lake and have been fighting the actions.

“We feel vindicated and deeply grateful,” the journalists said in a statement. They said the ruling against Lake “is a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love.” They said they are still trying to determine what the action effectively means for colleagues whose careers have been in limbo.

Proponents of Voice of America call it an example of the nation’s “soft power” that offers unbiased news coverage to countries where governments control the flow of information. Lake has contended the government-run news outlets are wasteful and their outputs should promote the administration’s views.

Reporters Without Borders said Lamberth’s decision affirmed what it believed — that the administration acted unlawfully to gut the VOA. But there’s still more to be done to ensure VOA’s journalists can get back 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, in a statement posted on X, said she strongly disagreed with the 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.”

David Bauder, The Associated Press