Voice of America director says Trump officials are illegally ousting him

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NPR

August 6, 2025 5:00 AM ET


The conflict over Voice of America's future is coming to a head as a federal judge demands answers from Kari Lake, who is overseeing its federal parent for the Trump White House.

The stakes were sharpened Monday when Michael Abramowitz, the director of the government-funded international broadcaster, filed legal documents saying the U.S. Agency for Global Media's top officials are seeking to fire him illegally. Abramowitz is among a group of journalists suing the administration.
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In new legal briefs filed Tuesday, U.S. Justice Department lawyers argued the president has almost unfettered power to determine who holds positions of authority in the executive branch, including the U.S. Agency for Global Media. It is the first time the government has asserted such expansive powers in this case, though it has made related arguments in litigation surrounding its actions in other corners of the executive branch.

The judge overseeing the Abramowitz suit and related cases has written that he is worried that Lake and the agency are failing to comply with his earlier order to ensure the Voice of America is fulfilling its congressionally mandated role to provide reliable news to all corners of the world.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5493233/voa-kari-lake-trump-firing

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Link to FILING (PDF) - https://storage.courtlistener.com/rec0ap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278809/gov.uscourts.dcd.278809.64.1.pdf

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