Appeals Court Rules
A federal appeals court panel ruled that Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz was fired illegally by former U.S. Agency for Global Media head Kari Lake, according to UPI.
The unanimous decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit blocks the Trump administration from ousting the director and upholds his reinstatement.
The three-judge panel found that the agency acted without the required independent approval from the International Broadcasting Advisory Board (IBAB).
President Donald Trump fired six of the seven members of that advisory board upon taking office in January 2025, which left the board unable to take action to dismiss Abramowitz, according to court documents cited by UPI.
Director Reinstatement Backed
Lake fired Abramowitz in August 2025 after he refused to move to a lower-level post, UPI reported. Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia previously ruled in Abramowitz’s favor, finding that the attempt to remove him ran plainly contrary to the law.
Writing the appellate opinion, U.S. Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard stated that statutory protections serve as a durable barrier protecting the journalistic integrity of Voice of America and its affiliate networks, UPI noted. The panel concluded that the district court had the proper authority to enjoin the administration from removing Abramowitz without board approval.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Abramowitz expressed relief regarding the outcome of the appeal.
I am gratified by this result and look forward to getting back to the important work Voice of America does worldwide on behalf of the American people,
Abramowitz said in a statement reported by Politico.
Legal challenges surrounding the agency remain active. Abramowitz, alongside VOA reporters, unions, and the nonprofit Reporters Without Borders, filed a separate lawsuit against the administration over broader efforts to disband the broadcaster, according to The Hill.
Hundreds of employees have spent roughly a year and a half on paid administrative leave while operations face severe disruptions and staffing cuts.
Lake previously defended the administration’s overhauls as a mandate to eliminate waste and reduce bloated bureaucracy, criticizing earlier lower-court interventions. The White House did not immediately comment on the appeals court decision.
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