Kari Lake Sued Over Alleged Political Interference at Voice of America

A federal judge has invalidated a series of actions taken by Kari Lake, a Trump administration official, to overhaul the Voice of America (VOA), ruling that she lacked the legal authority to dismantle the agency’s operations. The decision, handed down Saturday, effectively voids staff cuts and operational changes Lake implemented whereas leading the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) in 2025 and 2026, according to rulings reported by the Associated Press and NBC News.

The lawsuit, brought by VOA journalists and a union representing federal employees, argued that Lake, who was not Senate-confirmed for the role, overstepped her authority by terminating contracts and laying off staff, leaving VOA operating with a “skeleton staff” in only a handful of languages. Judge Royce C. Lamberth agreed, stating that Lake did not meet the requirements for serving as a principal officer under the Appointments Clause or the Vacancies Act.

Lake dismissed the ruling as “bogus” and vowed to appeal, according to the AP. The decision’s immediate impact on VOA operations remains unclear, but it represents a significant setback for efforts to reshape the agency under the Trump administration.

The legal challenge centered on Lake’s appointment and actions after former CEO Amanda Bennett resigned in January 2025. Lake joined USAGM as a senior advisor in March 2025, and was later referred to as deputy CEO in a November 2025 news release. However, Judge Lamberth found that she was ineligible to serve as acting CEO because she was not an employee of USAGM at the time of Bennett’s resignation and lacked Senate confirmation, as reported by NBC News.

The judge also rejected the administration’s argument that Lake could exercise CEO authority through a delegation from previous acting CEO Victor Morales. This is at least the third time Judge Lamberth has ruled against the Trump administration in cases involving the Voice of America, according to CNN .

Founded during World War II, Voice of America has historically served as a source of news and information for audiences in countries lacking a free press. The network reached more than 360 million people globally each week, according to official estimates. The lawsuit alleges that Lake’s actions threatened this mission, and that she sought to infuse VOA’s reporting with a pro-Trump bias.

Plaintiffs in the case, including former acting director of VOA’s central news division Barry Newhouse, director of VOA’s South and Central Asia division Ayesha Tanzeem, Korean-language service chief Dong Hyuk Lee, and Russian language service journalist Ksenia Turkova, alleged censorship and a shift in coverage to align with the Trump administration’s agenda. Specifically, they cited instances of canceled contracts with the Associated Press and Reuters, and negotiations to carry content from One America News Network.

The lawsuit further alleges that VOA’s Persian language service, one of the few remaining services operating on a reduced schedule, heavily promoted President Trump and the White House’s position on the war with Iran, including an hour-long retrospective praising Trump’s first year in office and a segment featuring Lake herself lauding the president. Journalists also claimed they were censored from reporting on support for the son of the late Shah in anti-regime protests in Iran.

PEN America and Reporters Without Borders have joined the lawsuit, underscoring concerns about the protection of press freedom. The plaintiffs stated that the judge’s ruling is “a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution,” and expressed hope for restoring VOA’s global operations.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media, now led by acting CEO Michael Rigas, has not yet commented on the ruling. The agency faces a pending decision on whether to appeal Judge Lamberth’s decision, and the future of Voice of America remains uncertain.