A federal judge has ruled that Kari Lake unlawfully served as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media for several months last year, ordering the federal agency to reverse cuts to programs and over 1,000 layoffs carried out under her direction. Lake was appointed by President Trump without Senate confirmation in early 2025 to lead the independent federal agency, which oversees the Voice of America and helps fund Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe and other state-sponsored U.S. news agencies. Under her watch, the agency fired all contractors, laid off most full-time staffers and replaced original reporting with the far-right TV network One America News Network. She also attempted to fire Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz, though a federal judge last August ordered his reinstatement.