A federal judge just handed the Trump administration a major setback by declaring that Kari Lake never had legal authority to gut Voice of America, voiding her mass layoffs and operational dismantling of the 80-year-old international broadcasting institution.
Story Snapshot
- U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled Lake lacked legal authority as acting CEO under the Vacancies Reform Act
- Lake’s mass layoffs and contract terminations at Voice of America are now void, potentially affecting hundreds of fired employees
- The ruling reinforces Senate confirmation requirements and limits presidential power to install unconfirmed appointees in key federal positions
- Lake vowed to appeal the decision, calling it “bogus” and blaming activist judges for obstructing Trump’s mandate to reform bloated bureaucracy
Judge Strikes Down Lake’s Authority Under Vacancies Act
Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled on March 7, 2026, that Kari Lake “was not first assistant at the time of the vacancy” and therefore “lacks authority to serve as the acting CEO” of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
The court found Lake’s appointment violated the federal Vacancies Reform Act, which strictly limits who can assume temporary leadership in Senate-confirmed positions.
Lake was positioned as deputy after CEO Michael Morales was removed, rather than holding the position when the vacancy occurred. This timing matters under the law, which prevents presidents from circumventing Senate confirmation by appointing someone to a deputy role specifically to elevate them.
US judge voids 2025 actions taken by Kari Lake as Voice of America CEO, including job cuts https://t.co/q2IzGK63ao https://t.co/q2IzGK63ao
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 8, 2026
Mass Layoffs and VOA Dismantling Now Legally Invalid
The ruling invalidates Lake’s extensive operational changes at Voice of America, including terminating contracts and laying off most VOA employees. She reduced the historic international broadcaster to skeleton staff operations covering only a few languages.
Voice of America, established during World War II over 80 years ago, has provided news coverage to countries worldwide, particularly those with government-controlled media.
The judge found “these expansive delegations were an unlawful effort to transform Lake into the CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media in all but name.” What happens to the hundreds of laid-off journalists and whether VOA operations will be restored remains unclear pending the appeal process.
Constitutional Checks Trump Executive Overreach
Judge Lamberth’s reasoning centered on protecting the Senate’s constitutional confirmation role. Adopting Lake’s position would “require the Court to find that the President can fill a first assistantship at any time during a vacancy in a Senate-confirmed office and then elevate the first assistant to serve as the acting officer,” effectively negating Senate oversight.
The ruling relied on a 3rd Circuit precedent involving Alina Habba, Trump’s former personal lawyer, whose appointment to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey was similarly invalidated. This pattern reveals systematic attempts to bypass constitutional safeguards designed to prevent unchecked executive power over major federal agencies.
Lake Blasts Ruling as Judicial Obstruction
Lake strongly disagreed with the ruling and announced the government will appeal, characterizing Judge Lamberth’s decision as “bogus” and accusing him of “activist rulings.” She and the Trump administration frame this as judicial obstruction of legitimate reform efforts, claiming voters gave Trump “a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government.”
However, the fired VOA journalists who brought the lawsuit, including White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara and reporters Kate Neeper and Jessica Jerreat, said they were “vindicated and deeply grateful.” They called the ruling “a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution,” emphasizing VOA’s mission to produce “journalism, not propaganda.”
U.S. judge voids 2025 actions taken by Kari Lake as Voice of America CEO, including job cuts https://t.co/Hh6GdCAiQK
— CNBC Politics (@CNBCPolitics) March 8, 2026
Broader Implications for Trump’s Government Restructuring
This ruling establishes important precedent limiting how the Trump administration can restructure federal agencies through unconfirmed appointees. It affects not just USAGM but potentially other appointments facing similar legal challenges across government.
Reporters Without Borders affirmed the ruling as correct, noting “the administration acted unlawfully to gut the VOA” and emphasizing that “fighting for press freedom matters.” The decision reinforces that even with electoral mandates, constitutional processes and statutory requirements remain binding.
While conservatives rightly support eliminating government waste and restoring accountability, those reforms must follow proper legal procedures including Senate confirmation for positions requiring it. The appeal will determine whether these constraints stand or whether presidents gain broader latitude to rapidly transform federal agencies.
Sources:
Judge rules actions to dismantle Voice of America are illegal – Los Angeles Times
