A senior federal judge has ordered Trump adviser Kari Lake to testify under oath about her role in dismantling Voice of America, requiring her to appear and submit documents by September 15. The order follows her appearance in court on August 25, where US District Judge Royce Lamberth said she was “verging on contempt of court” for ignoring earlier directives to disclose information regarding cuts at the US Agency for Global Media.
Lake has argued that her actions were justified under a March executive order from President Trump, which directed reductions across the agency. Under her leadership, most employees were suspended, VOA’s 49-language service was reduced to four, and a content deal was signed with the far-right One America News Network. Lamberth questioned whether such decisions violated Congressional mandates requiring VOA to remain politically impartial.
The administration has stated that VOA will be staffed only on an “as-needed” basis for major news events. Since March, more than 85% of the agency’s workforce—about 1,400 employees—have been terminated under Trump’s directive to “eliminate” the organization to the fullest extent of the law.
Though portions of Lamberth’s April injunction to preserve the agency’s full operations were stayed on appeal, the requirements to maintain its legal duties remained in force. Lake, however, told NPR that the court has no authority over the matter and accused Lamberth of overstepping his role.