Judge voids Kari Lake's actions as acting CEO of U.S. media agency
CBSN
A federal judge ruled Saturday that Kari Lake, President 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. In:
A federal judge ruled Saturday that Kari Lake, President 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.
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 Mr. 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," U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth wrote.
Lamberth effectively voided all the actions Lake took when she assumed the CEO role at USAGM on July 31, 2025, until she moved to a senior adviser role on Nov. 19, 2025. That would include the hundreds of layoffs at Voice of America and other USAGM departments. USAGM is considered an independent federal agency.
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