Court Rules Lake Illegally Fired VOA Director

A federal appeals court unanimously affirmed that Kari Lake illegally fired Voice of America director Michael Abramowitz in August 2025. The court said only the Senate-confirmed International Broadcasting Advisory Board had authority to remove the director, and that Lake lacked the required approval. The ruling upheld a lower-court order blocking Abramowitz’s removal and emphasized that the safeguards protect VOA’s journalistic independence. Abramowitz said he was gratified by the decision and eager to return to work.