August 13

Administration offers court no new details about plans for VOA

In response to a court order directing USAGM to lay out its plans for VOA to meet its statutory obligations, the government repeated its belief that VOA’s current minimal programming in four languages fulfills that duty. Lake said in a declaration that she intends to help Trump to fulfill his wish to close USAGM “within the bounds of current and future federal law.” Read Lake’s declaration.
Read the defendants response and supporting documents in exhibit 1.

August 4

VOA director receives termination notice

Lawyers for VOA Director Michael Abramowitz inform the court that USAGM sent a letter firing Abramowitz after he refused to accept reassignment to a lower post. The letter said Abramowitz would be terminated on August 31. Lawyers for the VOA director urge the court to quickly rule on their previously filed motion for an injunction. Read the latest court filing.

July 30

VOA wins lower court motion

Judge Lamberth finds the government has failed provide the court with accurate information about how it is spending Congressionally-appropriated funding for VOA. He further finds that the government has failed to fully explain how it intends to comply with the court’s injunction for VOA to meet its statutory obligations. Lamberth gives USAGM until August 13 to provide a detailed plan.
Read the full motion.

July 23

VOA director files court motion challenging his removal from role

VOA Director Michael Abramowitz, who previously filed a lawsuit against VOA’s shuttering, asks the DC federal district court to prevent USAGM’s attempts to remove him from his role. The motion for an injunction accuses USAGM of acting without cause and against the law.
Read the motion (PDF).
Read a supporting declaration by Abramowitz (PDF).

July 22

Former U.S. military officials and diplomats sign court brief supporting VOA

Fifty-four former U.S. officials, including 25 former senior military officials, sign an amicus brief in support of VOA and its mission. The brief says that these officials are “united in their view that VOA has served and advanced American foreign policy goals, supported the spread of democracy, and provided a model of freedom and truth to people around the world.”
Read the full brief (PDF).
Explore all of the amicus briefs.

July 18

Government files motion to dismiss lawsuits

USAGM asks the court to dismiss the lawsuits against it, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction and that the agency has full discretion to run its day-to-day operations as it sees fit. Read the motion (PDF).

July 18

Lake defends VOA’s minimal broadcasting

The government responds to Judge Lamberth’s order to give a further accounting of the situation at VOA, with Lake writing in a declaration that 72 employees are currently working at VOA to produce a small amount of content in four languages (Mandarin, Dari, Farsi and Pashto). The government continues to offer no explanation of how they came to determine that these languages represent the statutory minimum. Read the government’s response (PDF).

July 15

Plaintiffs file written brief with appeals court

The plaintiffs in the two cases against USAGM (Widakuswara v. Lake and Abramowitz v. Lake) file their brief on the merits of the case at the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that the government acted unlawfully in attempting to dismantle USAGM without legal or procedural justification. Oral arguments are scheduled to be heard by the court on September 22. Read the brief (PDF).

July 14

House committee begins budget process for USAGM

A House Appropriations subcommittee proposes spending $681 million for international media in fiscal year 2026. Read the committee bill (PDF).

July 8

Court orders government to provide plan for VOA

Judge Lamberth gives the government 10 days to give a clear plan for its actions at VOA. The judge notes contradictions in what the government says it is doing at VOA and the reality of the situation. Read Judge Lamberth's order (PDF).

July 2

Plaintiffs argue USAGM is ignoring court order

Plaintiffs in both VOA cases file papers in lower court arguing that USAGM under Lake’s leadership still does not have a plan for the agency. They say USAGM is ignoring Judge Lamberth’s order for the agency to fulfill its statutory obligations.
Read the plaintiff’s response in Widakuswara v. Lake (PDF).
Read the plaintiff’s response in Abramowitz v. Lake (PDF).

June 27

USAGM tells court it is complying to restore VOA programming

In papers filed in district court, USAGM argues that it is complying with Judge Lamberth’s order to restore VOA programming so that it fulfills the statutory minimum. The agency also argues it should not be held in contempt as the court has threatened, asserting it has been acting in good faith to carry out the court’s orders. Read the government’s response (PDF).

June 27

USAGM rescinds layoffs for now

USAGM reverses the layoffs it issued only one week prior, but says it will carry out another round of layoffs in the near future. Union representatives at VOA say the reversal is due to the agency’s violations of law and contract in the way it carried out the layoffs. Read the email.

June 25

USAGM argues court cannot force it to undo layoffs

USAGM files papers in district court arguing the executive branch has the legal right to decide how to manage its agencies, including reducing staff and funding. Read the government's brief (PDF).

June 25

Lake testifies to House committee

Lake attacks VOA during testimony to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Read the plaintiffs’ response.
Read an annotated fact check of Lake’s opening remarks.

June 23

District judge holds hearing on cuts to VOA

At the hearing, Judge Lamberth asks a Justice Department attorney why the government did not inform him of recent layoff notices sent to VOA employees and asks the government for more information about whether it is complying with his order to preserve VOA. “What would be the purpose of Voice of America if there was no voice?” Lamberth asks. Watch the plaintiffs’ press conference.

June 20

USAGM begins mass layoffs

USAGM launches mass layoffs of VOA and USAGM staff, including some members of the Persian service that it called back to work the prior week to cover Israel’s war with Iran. Employees last day on the payroll will be September 1, Labor Day.
Read the USAGM announcement.
Read the plaintiffs’ response.

June 17

USAGM asks for a lower court stay to pause legal proceedings

USAGM files papers in district court asking Judge Lamberth not to rule on motions related to the case, arguing that the appeals court can make all decisions when it hears the case on its merits. Read the motion (PDF).

June 13

USAGM argues it is meeting the statutory minimum

USAGM files papers in district court detailing why it believes VOA is meeting the minimum programming required by Congressional statute. Read the defendants’ motion (PDF).

June 4

USAGM says it can decide content amount

USAGM insists it has broad discretion to run VOA and that there’s no rule requiring a specific staff size or content output. Read the motion (PDF).

June 3

Lake informs Congress of large staff cuts

As first reported by the Washington Post, Lake sends a letter to Congress, saying she plans to cut most of the 800 remaining staff members at VOA. Her plan is to keep only 17 journalists and broadcast technicians, down from more than 1,300 employees who worked at the broadcaster at the start of March. Read the letter (PDF).

June 2

USAGM asks for pause in lower court proceedings

USAGM asks Lamberth to pause all ongoing legal proceedings in the two cases (Widakuswara v. Lake and Abramowitz v. Lake) until the higher court makes its ruling. Read the motion (PDF).

May 31

Co-plaintiff Kate Neeper provides a declaration in support of the request, chronicling the substantial decrease in VOA output. Read the request (PDF).

May 31

Plaintiffs call for district court to hold new hearing

Widakuswara v. Lake plaintiffs argue that USAGM is still trying to shut down VOA in violation of Lamberth's order and ask the court to hold a hearing quickly. Read the motion (PDF).

May 28

Plaintiffs say USAGM is not following judge's order

Abramowitz v. Lake plaintiffs ask the court to make USAGM explain why it hasn't followed Lamberth's order to restore VOA. Read the request (PDF).

May 27

Request for appeals court to act quickly

Plaintiffs of Widakuswara v. Lake submit a motion to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite the appeals process, citing contractor terminations and concern about employee firings. Read the motion (PDF).

May 22

Appeals court declines intervention

The full DC Circuit Court of Appeals declines to intervene in the case, at least for now. Read the order (PDF).

May 6

Handful of workers return

USAGM issues a return-to-work order to a couple dozen full-time employees to produce minimal content in only four of the 49 languages: Farsi, Mandarin, Dari and Pashto. The output consists of a few web articles, one or two videos, and a handful of social media posts per day, plus a daily five-minute newscast in only two languages: Dari and Pashto.

April 25

USAGM appeals ruling

USAGM appeals Lamberth's order that VOA employees and contractors be returned to work. Read the ruling (PDF).

April 22

Judge orders VOA employees back to work

District Judge Royce Lamberth rules in favor of the employees, ordering USAGM to return employees and contractors to their work status prior to March 14 and to “restore VOA programming such that USAGM fulfills its statutory mandate that VOA ‘serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news.’” Lamberth calls the administration’s decision to dismantle VOA “arbitrary and capricious” and writes, “Not only is there an absence of 'reasoned analysis' from the defendants; there is an absence of any analysis whatsoever.” Read the order (PDF).

April 16

State Department cables say the shuttering of VOA hurts US interests

In a declaration to federal court, American Foreign Service Association President Thomas Yazdgerdi highlights cables sent by U.S. diplomats around the world arguing that the closure of U.S. international media will likely help foreign governments such as Russia and China to undermine U.S. policy.
Read his statement.
Read the full plaintiffs’ court filing for a preliminary injunction (PDF).

March 29

Contractors are reinstated

After the issuance of the TRO, VOA contractors are informed by USAGM that their contracts were put on hold "until further notice," and they will remain on administrative leave with regular pay and benefits.

March 28

Judge grants temporary restraining order

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York rules in favor of VOA employees and grants a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration from carrying out its planned layoffs. Judge Paul Oetken says in his ruling that USAGM failed to “provide a single sentence of explanation for the colossal changes that have occurred at USAGM since March 15, 2025.” Read the order (PDF).

March 26

Second lawsuit filed

VOA Director Michael Abramowitz, who has also been placed on leave, files a second lawsuit against VOA’s shuttering, along with three other plaintiffs. Read the lawsuit (PDF).

March 25

Former directors urge Congress to protect VOA

Former VOA directors nominated across party lines send a letter to Congress urging them to save the broadcaster. Nine of the 10 then-living former directors sign the letter, saying Trump’s efforts to end VOA “amount to a gift to China, Iran, Russia and other oppressive regimes around the world." Read the letter (PDF).

March 21

First lawsuit filed

Seven VOA employees, including Widakuswara, along with unions representing federal employees, and Reporters Without Borders file a lawsuit challenging the effective closure of VOA and the administration’s plans to fire all of its journalists. Read the lawsuit.
Read RSF’s letter of support (PDF).

March 16

Contractors fired

Nearly 600 VOA journalists working as independent personal services contractors (PSCs) are given notices of termination.

March 15

Lake cancels lease for new VOA building

Lake terminates a 15-year lease that had been signed during the Biden administration to move VOA’s headquarters to a new D.C. location. In a press release, Lake calls the lease an example of “obscene over-spending.” The previous administration argued the relocation would save VOA more than $150 million over the course of the lease.
Read the original September 2024 USAGM announement.
Read former USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett's op-ed challenging Lake's assertions.

March 15

VOA programming goes dark

USAGM, effectively led by Lake, ceases all VOA programming, forbids journalists from reporting the news, and places more than 1,300 workers on administrative leave.

March 14

President Trump signs executive order

Trump signs an executive order calling for the elimination of the “non-statutory components and functions” at USAGM, reducing the agency “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” Read the order.

March 12

VOA White House bureau chief rebuked

During a press conference in the Oval Office, VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara asks Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, "What about the president's plans to expel Palestinians out of Gaza? Are you discussing that with him and giving him your opinion?" Trump responds, "Nobody is expelling any Palestinians" and asks Widakuswara, "Who are you with?" When she replies, "I'm with Voice of America, sir," Trump says, "Oh, no wonder." Watch the Oval Office exchange.

Early March

DOGE in the building

DOGE workers enter VOA offices in Washington.

Late January

Trump fires advisory board

Trump fires all members of the bipartisan International Broadcasting Advisory Board, which advises the head of VOA's parent agency, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). By law, a majority of the board must approve the hiring and firing of network heads, including the VOA director.

December 12

Kari Lake picked to lead VOA

President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to appoint Kari Lake, a politician and former Arizona journalist, to lead the international, government-funded broadcaster Voice of America.