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A federal judge ruled Saturday that Kari Lake unlawfully served as the acting head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media for several months in 2025, invalidating a series of major decisions she made that significantly reduced operations at Voice of America.
In a summary judgment, Royce Lamberth, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, sided with plaintiffs that included Voice of America journalists and a federal employee union.
They argued Lake’s appointment and actions violated both the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Court finds Lake was not eligible to lead agency
Lamberth ruled that Lake was not eligible to serve as acting CEO because she was not employed by the agency when then-CEO Amanda Bennett resigned in January 2025 and had not been confirmed by the Senate for any other federal role.
Lake officially joined the agency in March 2025 as a senior adviser. A November 21 news release from the agency referred to her as deputy CEO.
The judge also rejected arguments from the Trump administration that Lake could exercise the authority of the CEO through a delegation from the previous acting chief, Victor Morales.
Actions during tenure declared void
Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, decisions made by someone improperly serving in a vacant position “shall have no force or effect,” Lamberth wrote in the ruling.
“As a consequence, any actions taken by Lake during her asserted tenure as acting CEO between July 31 and November 19, 2025…are void,” the judge wrote.
The decision could invalidate a series of actions taken by Lake during that period, including a reduction-in-force plan affecting hundreds of employees. That workforce reduction is already under a court-ordered suspension.
Saturday’s ruling marks at least the third time Lamberth has ruled against the administration in legal battles involving Voice of America. Earlier rulings in April and September of 2025 blocked efforts that would have forced many VOA employees out of their jobs, though one decision was later overturned by an appeals court.
VOA operations dramatically reduced
During the restructuring effort, Voice of America — which historically broadcast in 49 languages to an estimated 420 million people across more than 100 countries — was reduced to just four languages as part of a broader effort to scale back the agency’s operations.
Lake, a longtime political ally of Donald Trump, criticized the court’s decision and pledged to appeal.
“Judge Lamberth has a pattern of activist rulings — and this case is no different,” Lake said in a statement.
Lawyers representing the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling.
The case represents one of several legal challenges confronting the Trump administration as it attempts to reshape or scale back certain federal agencies.
