Judge Rules Kari Lake Illegally Led U.S. Global Media Agency, Voids Major Decisions

A federal judge has ruled that Kari Lake unlawfully exercised authority at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), invalidating several actions she took while running the organization, including sweeping layoffs and personnel decisions.

In a 17-page ruling, Royce C. Lamberth determined that Lake’s role violated both the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, meaning she did not have lawful authority to act as the agency’s chief executive.

The ruling effectively nullifies many of Lake’s moves while overseeing the agency, which includes the government-funded broadcaster Voice of America.

Lawsuit Filed by Voice of America Staff

The case was brought by a group of USAGM employees led by Patsy Widakuswara, who challenged Lake’s authority to manage the agency.

Other plaintiffs included Jessica Jerreat, a press-freedom editor at Voice of America, and Kate Neeper, USAGM’s director of strategy and performance assessment.

Judge Lamberth concluded that the arrangement used to place Lake in charge effectively tried to give her the powers of a confirmed chief executive without the legal appointment process required by law.

“The Court finds that these expansive delegations were an unlawful effort to transform Lake into the CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media in all but name,” Lamberth wrote in his decision.

Layoffs and Agency Cuts Now Invalidated

The ruling voids several controversial decisions made during Lake’s tenure, including the mass layoffs and administrative leave orders affecting large portions of the agency’s workforce.

The staffing cuts followed an executive order issued by Donald Trump directing the government to scale back the agency.

After the order was issued, Lake placed many employees on administrative leave and terminated hundreds of contractor positions. Those moves became central to lawsuits filed by employees and by Michael Abramowitz, director of Voice of America.

Despite the legal challenges, many USAGM employees have remained on leave for months.

Confusion Over Lake’s Role

Lake’s position at the agency was unusual from the start.

The formal CEO of USAGM must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but Trump never nominated Lake for that role.

Instead, she was appointed senior adviser to acting chief executive Victor Morales, who delegated large portions of his authority to her.

Lake at different times described herself as:

• Acting CEO
• Deputy CEO
• Senior adviser

That shifting description contributed to confusion about whether she had legitimate authority to run the agency.

Judge Lamberth concluded that the delegation arrangement effectively tried to bypass the legal confirmation process.

Legal Battles Between Court and Agency

The decision is the latest setback for the administration’s broader effort to restructure or dismantle USAGM.

Judge Lamberth, who was appointed to the federal bench by Ronald Reagan, had already issued several rulings blocking attempts to shut down parts of the agency.

At multiple points in the case, the judge warned Lake she could face contempt of court if she failed to comply with court orders requiring the agency to continue broadcasting operations mandated by Congress.

During an eight-hour deposition last year, Lake said she learned about Trump’s executive order reducing the agency on the same day it was announced.

Employees Say Ruling Restores Hope

The plaintiffs in the case said the ruling confirms their concerns that the agency’s leadership changes were unlawful.

In a joint statement, Widakuswara and her colleagues said the decision marks an important step toward repairing the damage caused by the restructuring.

“The judge’s ruling that Kari Lake’s actions shall have no force or effect is a powerful step toward undoing the damage she has inflicted on this American institution that we love,” the employees said.

They added that their goal remains restoring normal operations and ensuring that Voice of America continues producing independent journalism rather than government propaganda.

Lake Plans to Appeal Decision

Lake rejected the court’s ruling and said she intends to challenge it.

She argued that the administration was attempting to reduce government bureaucracy and improve accountability within USAGM.

“The American people gave President Trump a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and restore accountability to government,” Lake said in a statement.

“An activist judge is trying to stand in the way of those efforts.”

Uncertainty Over Agency Leadership

The ruling leaves the leadership of USAGM unclear.

Judge Lamberth ordered the government to identify who currently serves as acting CEO of the agency by March 11, and to outline a formal succession plan for the position.

The White House has not yet publicly responded to the ruling or clarified who will lead the agency moving forward.