USA Reporters Without Borders: Important judgment against US government
The organization Reporters Without Borders has welcomed the ruling on the unlawful dismissal of hundreds of journalists at the US foreign broadcaster Voice of America (VOA). "The ruling confirms what we already knew when we filed this lawsuit almost a year ago: Kari Lake and the Trump administration acted unlawfully in firing the VOA employees," said the head of the US office of Reporters Without Borders, Clayton Weimers. The case shows how important it is to fight for freedom of the press.
09.03.2026, 20:09
SDA
US President Donald Trump appointed Lake in his second term as head of the parent company of the state-funded broadcaster, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). She announced the redundancies at the end of last August. According to the court, over 500 employees would have been affected.
All of Lake's official acts invalid
A judge has now thwarted the plans, citing Lake's unlawful appointment. Lake had come into office without the approval of the Senate - a procedure that is only permitted in a few exceptions, for example if it concerns a civil servant with experience in a managerial position. However, none of the exceptions applied in this case, the court found. The official actions taken by Lake were therefore invalid.
Lake told the portal "Politico" that she would appeal. The people had tasked Trump with reducing bureaucracy and restoring accountability to the government. "An activist judge is trying to obstruct these efforts at USAGM." The lawsuit was filed by Reporters Without Borders together with unions and employees of the broadcaster.
Broadcaster with a long history
Voice of America was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi Germany's propaganda and bring reliable news to occupied territories. Today, it includes several radio services that broadcast programs in dozens of languages. In Germany, the station can no longer be received on linear television or radio, as it is primarily aimed at countries with limited freedom of the press.
