Judge voids Kari Lake VOA job cuts as unlawful under Appointments Clause

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled on March 7, 2026, that Kari Lake served as acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media unlawfully, because she was not a sitting federal employee when appointed and had not been Senate-confirmed to any federal post. Lamberth voided all actions Lake took in the role, including layoffs of more than 1,000 Voice of America journalists and staff, finding the appointment violated both the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the Constitution's Appointments Clause. Lake vowed to appeal.