Federal Judge Rules Kari Lake Was ‘Plainly Ineligible’ to Run US Agency for Global Media, Voids Major Voice of America Job Cuts

(AP Photo/LM Otero, file)

Kari Lake’s claim that she “assumed the role of Acting CEO” of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and could therefore lay off nearly the entire Voice of America workforce, among other actions, was trashed by a federal judge on Saturday.

U.S. Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled that Lake wasn’t legally eligible to serve as acting CEO of USAGM, declaring “‘null and void’ seemingly all actions” taken by Lake, according to NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. That would include her decision to slash about 1,400 VOA staffers and contractors last year.

USAGM is considered the “federal parent” for Voice of America, which is headed by Lake. VOA’s mission was to “broadcast into countries whose governments censored free information,” but has been systematically dismantled by Lake under President Donald Trump.

In his decision, Lambeth found that Lake’s appointment violated both the Constitution’s Appointments Clause and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

Lambeth wrote, “Lake is plainly ineligible to serve under subsection (a)(2) because she was not “serv[ing] in an office for which appointment” is subject to advice and consent prior to her designation as acting CEO… Nor can she serve under subsection (a)(3) because she was not employed by USAGM in any capacity prior to the occurrence of the vacancy.”

In a sworn declaration from August 2025, Lake attested she was “the acting chief executive of Voice of America’s federal parent, simply fulfilling President Trump’s wishes,” according to NPR.

Journalist Yashar Ali wrote Saturday, “The court found that Lake was never eligible to take the role because she had not been Senate-confirmed and also was not serving in the agency when the vacancy occurred. As a result, the court held that any actions she took while exercising those powers —including major personnel decisions like layoffs — have no legal force and cannot be ratified after the fact.”

In January, Lake blocked Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from broadcasting into Iran using a USAGM transmitter located in Kuwait, according to Oliver Darcy’s Status Newsletter.

Lake’s actions to cut workforce and gut programs at USAGM/VOA have been widely denounced by free speech and democracy advocates.

The White House hasn’t yet commented on the ruling.

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