Voice of America Employees Ordered to Return to Work, Judge Says Kari Lake Is ‘Unlawfully Withholding Agency Action’

Voice of America employees have been ordered to return to work, with a judge saying Kari Lake is “unlawfully withholding agency action,” which walks back the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle the government-run broadcaster

U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth set a March 23 deadline for return for the more than 1,000 staffers.

“We are thrilled with Judge Lamberth’s ruling and look forward to getting back to work,” Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz said in a statement to TheWrap. “Voice of America has never been more needed. I am grateful for the resilience and dedication of VOA’s amazing workforce.”

Back in March, Trump signed off on an executive order to close down VOA’s parent company the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which also oversees other U.S.-funded entities, by placing employees on leave and axing funding. Trump called the network “anti-Trump” and “radical propaganda,” accusing it of wasting Americans’ money.

The website for Voice of America has been frozen in time since March 15, 2025. 

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