Courts and Press Freedom

After a judge ordered Voice of America be restored, veteran VOA journalists filed a separate lawsuit accusing Kari Lake and acting USAGM CEO Michael Rigas of promoting pro‑Trump propaganda and violating statutory and constitutional protections for VOA’s editorial independence. The suit alleges Lake fired contractors, put more than 1,000 employees on paid leave, cut VOA’s 49 language services to six, canceled Associated Press and Reuters contracts in favor of a deal to carry One America News Network content, and allowed VOA’s Persian service to air an effusive hour‑long retrospective on Trump’s first year back in office.