Trump tapped Kari Lake to run VOA. Then he dismantled it.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sun Mar 16, 2025, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Democracy in America
Trump tapped Kari Lake to run VOA. Then he dismantled it.

Lake had big plans to transform the outlet into a powerful “weapon” to fight an “information war.” Instead, the president has essentially shut it down.

March 16, 2025 at 12:44 p.m. EDTToday at 12:44 p.m. EDT
10 min


Kari Lake gives an interview during the Conservative Political Action Conference at National Harbor in February. (Valerie Plesch/For The Washington Post)

By Sarah Ellison, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Aaron Schaffer

During his first term, Donald Trump accused Voice of America of speaking “for America’s adversaries — not its citizens.” Over the weekend, he essentially dismantled it.

Late Friday, Trump issued an executive order that directed VOA and an array of federal offices to “be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” About 1,000 journalists were placed on indefinite leave. Those who showed up to work to broadcast their programs were locked out of the building.

By Sarah Ellison
Sarah Ellison is a national enterprise reporter for The Washington Post. Previously, she wrote for Vanity Fair, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, where she started as a news assistant in Paris.follow on X@sarahellison

By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez
Yvonne Wingett Sanchez writes about voting issues in Arizona for The Washington Post. She previously covered politics for the Arizona Republic.follow on X@yvonnewingett

By Aaron Schaffer
Aaron Schaffer is a researcher on The Post's News Research team. He previously was assistant editor of The Post's 202 newsletter franchise, where he helped edit The Early 202 and edited The Cybersecurity 202 newsletter.

[hlthe2b]

1. FAFO comes to Lake...

I hope VOA is reparable when/if sanity returns to our governance.