A federal judge ruled that Kari Lake’s appointment as head of Voice of America’s oversight agency was invalid, voiding mass layoffs she carried out at VOA last year, and she has said she will appeal.

As a result of the ruling, VOA operates with a skeleton staff across only a handful of languages, prompting questions about its future operations and ability to fulfill its mission to provide unbiased global news.

The ruling sits within a broader debate over VOA’s role as a source of unbiased news and the management of government-funded media outlets.

The case fits into wider political efforts to influence VOA’s editorial decisions as part of former President Trump’s approach to the agency.

VOA historically reached listeners in countries with limited press freedom and maintained a broad global reach before the ruling and ongoing appeals.

The decision marks a setback for efforts to dismantle or influence VOA, a government-funded outlet founded to counter propaganda and serving many languages worldwide.

The dispute highlights tensions over control and staffing at U.S. government-backed media and the impact on journalists whose careers were disrupted by reorganizations.

If the ruling stands on appeal, more than 1,000 VOA journalists and staff could potentially return to their jobs amid ongoing staffing turmoil.

Organizations like Reporters Without Borders welcomed the decision, arguing it affirms unlawful actions to gut VOA and signaling a need to restore its journalism operations.

VOA’s mission remains to produce journalism and promote democratic values abroad, with USAGM also funding other broadcasters such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.

Supporters describe VOA as a crucial tool of U.S. soft power delivering unbiased news, while Lake has argued government-run outlets should promote the administration’s views; the ruling challenges that view.

Congress and the executive branch had provided additional funding to USAGM after legislative action, but Lake’s control over the agency remains unresolved while the court’s order stands.