The RecordExhibit 14
Laying off most of Voice of America's staff
Ruled unlawful means: A court ruled against it. Some rulings are on appeal.
Kari Lake, who was never confirmed by the Senate, laid off more than 1,000 journalists and staff and shrank Voice of America, on the air since World War II, to a skeleton crew.
What happened
VOA now operates in only a handful of languages. Lake also moved against Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and other congressionally funded networks.
Where it stands
In March 2026 Judge Royce Lamberth ruled Lake had no lawful authority to run the agency and declared all her actions over the past year null and void. She is appealing.
The administration's side
Lake says voters gave Trump a mandate to cut bloated bureaucracy and called the ruling bogus and the work of an activist judge.
Sources
Permanent link: https://unredactedrecord.com/e/voa/