Seizing Powers From Congress and the States

Voice of America

Trump's Cuts Silenced Voice of America in 49 Languages While Taxpayers Paid Idle Staff

Select a Section to Explore

Chapter 1 — Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

Chapter 2 — The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

Chapter 3 — Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

Chapter 4 — The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law

1 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

1 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts — select a subtopic

1.1 — A Funded Broadcaster Went Silent

1.2 — What Congress Required

1.3 — Lake Exercised the Power

1 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

1.1 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

A Funded Broadcaster Went Silent

Trump ordered the broadcasting agency to shrink, and its leaders stopped every Voice of America broadcast. A federal judge found that they had failed to perform duties Congress required and funded. Some broadcasts returned, but by July 2026 the service offered seven languages instead of 49 while hundreds of employees remained on paid leave.

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Sources

[1]Executive Order 14238, "Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy," 90 Fed. Reg. 13043 (Mar. 20, 2025)

[2]Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. 119-4, § 1101, 139 Stat. 9

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[4]Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. 118-47, div. F, 138 Stat. 735 (the United States Agency for Global Media heading) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting advance appropriation

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[6]Complaint, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), ¶ 61

[7]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 219 — the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and Appointments Clause holding

[8]Order to Show Cause, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 130 (= Abramowitz v. Lake, ECF No. 62)

1.2 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

What Congress Required

Congress requires Voice of America to provide accurate news and to explain American policies. Its law also protects the broadcasters' professional independence. Trump signed funding for those duties the day his agency began implementing the cuts. The appropriation also required broadcasting hours into North Korea to stay at least at the prior fiscal year's level. In August 2025, USAGM acknowledged that it was broadcasting no content there through any medium and said it had decided to take steps to restart.

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Sources

[2]Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. 119-4, § 1101, 139 Stat. 9

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[9]U.S. Agency for Global Media, "History: The history of U.S. civilian international broadcasting"

[10]22 U.S.C. ch. 71, United States International Broadcasting — including § 6202 (standards, principles and the Voice of America charter), § 6203 (the agency's continued existence and its Chief Executive Officer) and § 6204 (the Chief Executive Officer's authorities and the professional-independence subsection)

1.3 · Trump Ordered Cuts; His Appointees Stopped the Broadcasts

Lake Exercised the Power

Trump chose Lake for broadcasting leadership, and the acting agency head gave her nearly all his legal powers. Trump had removed six of the seven advisory-board members, leaving it without the quorum needed to approve replacing the VOA director with Lake. She ended contractor agreements, and agency leaders stopped programming and transmissions. Lake publicly attributed the goal of closing the entire agency to Trump's instructions. Lamberth found her exercise of chief executive power unlawful and voided the actions she took under that authority, including the August layoffs.

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Sources

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[7]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 219 — the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and Appointments Clause holding

[11]Memorandum Opinion granting a preliminary injunction, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 98, reported at 779 F. Supp. 3d 10

[12]Order denying reconsideration, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 241

2 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

2 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested — select a subtopic

2.1 — No Analysis Behind the Cuts

2.2 — The Case for Reform, and Its Limits

2.3 — Withheld Information and Repetitive Reports

2 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

2.1 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

No Analysis Behind the Cuts

The judge found that agency leaders had no analysis showing how their staffing plan could meet the law. He canceled the decisions that produced the shutdown, including the suspension of broadcasts and the leave imposed on 1,042 employees.

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Sources

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[11]Memorandum Opinion granting a preliminary injunction, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 98, reported at 779 F. Supp. 3d 10

[13]Order, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 222 — the vacatur

2.2 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

The Case for Reform, and Its Limits

The agency had real management problems, and the President has broad powers to reorganize agencies, remove officers and direct government speech. Those powers still operate within Congress's statutory requirements, which Lamberth found this shutdown violated. The administration won pauses on employee-return orders, and the shutdown findings remained subject to appeal in September 2026.

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Sources

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[7]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 219 — the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and Appointments Clause holding

[14]U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-22-104017, "U.S. Agency for Global Media: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Broadcasting Networks"

[15]U.S. Agency for Global Media, press release, "USAGM, Senior Advisor Kari Lake cancels obscenely expensive 15-year-lease that burdened the taxpayers and enforces Trump's Executive Order to drastically downsize agency"

[16]The White House, "The Voice of Radical America"

[17]Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc., 576 U.S. 200 (2015) (Breyer, J., for the Court), official United States Reports, Library of Congress

[18]Memorandum from the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Agency for Global Media, "Policy on Use of November 2025 National Security Strategy of the United States of America"

[19]Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of State, ISP-IB-23-01, "Targeted Inspection of the U.S. Agency for Global Media: Editorial Independence and Journalistic Standards and Principles"

[20]Trump v. Slaughter, No. 25-332, 609 U.S. ___ (2026), slip opinion

[21]Lincoln v. Vigil, 508 U.S. 182 (1993) (Souter, J., for the Court), official United States Reports, Library of Congress

[22]Trump v. American Federation of Government Employees, No. 24A1174, order on an application for stay (per curiam)

[23]Memorandum Order suspending the proposed reduction in force, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 164

[24]Emergency Motion of the federal appellants for a Partial Stay Pending Appeal, Widakuswara v. Lake, Nos. 26-5086 and 26-5087 (D.C. Cir.)

[25]Department of Education v. California, 604 U.S. ___ (2025), No. 24A910, order on an application to vacate (per curiam)

[26]Memorandum Order denying the defendants' motion for a partial stay pending appeal, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 228

[27]Order (per curiam), Patsy Widakuswara, et al. v. Kari Lake, Nos. 25-5144, 25-5145, 26-5086, 26-5087 (D.C. Cir.), before Circuit Judges Henderson, Wilkins and Katsas

[28]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 269, with Abramowitz v. Lake (D.D.C. Sept. 18, 2026), Judge Royce C. Lamberth

[29]Order (per curiam), Widakuswara v. Lake, Nos. 25-5144, 25-5145, 26-5086, 26-5087 (D.C. Cir.) — dismissing the 2025 appeals as moot and holding the 2026 merits appeals in abeyance

2.3 · The Court Rejected the Shutdown; Enforcement Remained Contested

Withheld Information and Repetitive Reports

Lamberth found that agency leaders repeatedly withheld the full story and supplied misleading and contradictory information about the cuts. After an enforcement order, agency reports kept repeating legal objections instead of explaining compliance. In September 2026 he demanded the documents guiding current operations.

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Sources

[8]Order to Show Cause, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 130 (= Abramowitz v. Lake, ECF No. 62)

[23]Memorandum Order suspending the proposed reduction in force, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 164

[28]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 269, with Abramowitz v. Lake (D.D.C. Sept. 18, 2026), Judge Royce C. Lamberth

[30]Order, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, ECF No. 177 (= Widakuswara ECF No. 268), D.D.C., September 18, 2026

3 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

3 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards — select a subtopic

3.1 — The Promised Savings Were Not Demonstrated

3.2 — Who Lost the Broadcasts, and What Returned

3.3 — Cuts Damaged the Controls Against Waste

3 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

3.1 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

The Promised Savings Were Not Demonstrated

The inspector general found that the cuts lacked a demonstrated assessment of costs, benefits and service continuity. Implementation-team members said DOGE and USAGM's front office made key decisions without consulting them; one said they were removed after raising concerns about disregarded collective-bargaining agreements. In July 2026, USAGM estimated that keeping 420 employees on paid leave cost $3.2 million every two weeks. Some canceled contracts had to be restored, and Lamberth declared the August layoffs void. Trump had stripped USAGM employees of collective-bargaining rights the day before the agency terminated union agreements requiring 60 days' notice and issued the revised layoff notices.

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Sources

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[7]Memorandum Opinion, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 219 — the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and Appointments Clause holding

[23]Memorandum Order suspending the proposed reduction in force, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 164

3.2 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

Who Lost the Broadcasts, and What Returned

Audiences in countries with restricted news lost services meant to reach them. USAGM acknowledged in August 2025 that it was broadcasting no content into North Korea through any medium despite a statutory floor for broadcasting hours. Cuba broadcasting recovered fully, and VOA and its grantees resumed parts of their output; RFE/RL and RFA returned only after courts ordered release of their funding. The reductions also stopped audience research, so restoring broadcasts did not restore the missing evidence of their reach and impact.

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Sources

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[8]Order to Show Cause, Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL, ECF No. 130 (= Abramowitz v. Lake, ECF No. 62)

3.3 · Taxpayers Paid for Lost Service and Weakened Safeguards

Cuts Damaged the Controls Against Waste

Cuts intended to address waste weakened the systems that account for public money, property and computer security. Auditors could not obtain enough evidence to judge the agency's financial statements, and they found a material weakness in its controls and failure to assess those controls as required. USAGM accepted six recommendations and said corrective work was underway; the inspector general still required evidence of implementation before closing them.

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Sources

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[31]U.S. Agency for Global Media, Fiscal Year 2025 Agency Financial Report, including the independent auditor's report (Kearney & Company, AUD-FM-IB-26-10, February 27, 2026), management's assurance statement, and the reprinted Inspector General statement OIG-26-02

4 · The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law

4 · The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law — select a subtopic

4.1 — Congress Funded Operations Instead of Closure

4.2 — Congress Must Judge the Abuse

4 · The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law

4.1 · The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law

Congress Funded Operations Instead of Closure

The agency asked Congress to fund its closure. Congress instead funded continued operations at a reduced level. Trump signed that law, leaving the agency with money for an operating broadcaster.

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Sources

[32]U.S. Agency for Global Media, Fiscal Year 2026 Congressional Budget Justification

[33]Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Pub. L. 119-75, div. F, 140 Stat. 519 — the United States Agency for Global Media heading

4.2 · The President's Order Did Not Erase Congress's Law

Congress Must Judge the Abuse

The accusation is that presidential direction led to the shutdown of a broadcaster Congress required and funded, with lasting losses and costs. The courts' findings and the documented harm give Congress a concrete abuse of power to judge.

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Sources

[1]Executive Order 14238, "Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy," 90 Fed. Reg. 13043 (Mar. 20, 2025)

[3]Memorandum Opinion, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, and Widakuswara v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-01015-RCL (D.D.C.), granting partial summary judgment on the Administrative Procedure Act claims

[5]Department of State, Office of Inspector General, Evaluation of the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Approach to Reducing Operations, AUD-AFA-IB-26-25 (September 2026)

[30]Order, Abramowitz v. Lake, No. 1:25-cv-00887-RCL, ECF No. 177 (= Widakuswara ECF No. 268), D.D.C., September 18, 2026

[33]Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Pub. L. 119-75, div. F, 140 Stat. 519 — the United States Agency for Global Media heading

[34]Executive Order 14290, "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media," 90 Fed. Reg. 19415 (May 7, 2025)

[35]Order, National Public Radio, Inc. v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-01674-RDM (D.D.C.), Dkt. 82 — the declaration and permanent injunction

[36]Joint Stipulation of Dismissal of Remaining Claims, National Public Radio, Inc. v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-01674-RDM (D.D.C.), Dkt. 87

[37]Memorandum Opinion, National Public Radio, Inc. v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-01674-RDM, consolidated with Public Broadcasting Service v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-01722-RDM (D.D.C.)

[38]Special message transmitted to Congress under 2 U.S.C. § 683(a), proposing twenty-two rescissions, 90 Fed. Reg. 24298 (June 9, 2025) — rescission proposals R25-21 and R25-22