March 8 (UPI) -- A federal judge invalidated Kari Lake's efforts to dismantle Voice of America amid sweeping layoffs at the U.S. Agency for Global Media because she was not eligible for the position.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled on Saturday that when President Donald Trump appointed her acting director of USAGM but, because she had not been confirmed for the role by the Senate, all of her actions in the position are null and void, The Guardian and NPR reported.
During a four-month period in 2025, Lake laid off more than 1,000 people at the independent federal agency, including efforts to shutter Voice of America and defund other U.S. government-backed news agencies.
"Only the Appointments Clause or the Vacancies Act's exclusive structure may authorize service as a principal officer, and Lake satisfies the requirements of neither the statute nor the Constitution," Lamberth wrote in his ruling.
Related
