Court Rules Trump Administration Illegally Fired Voice of America Chief

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously on Tuesday that the Trump administration illegally fired Michael Abramowitz, the head of Voice of America. The court upheld a lower-court decision, affirming that a 2020 law requires approval from the bipartisan International Broadcasting Advisory Board to remove the news group's leadership.

The ruling rejects administration arguments that these personnel limits are unconstitutional. Judge Cornelia T.L. Pillard authored the opinion, stating the law serves as a barrier to protect the journalistic integrity of Voice of America and its affiliate networks. The court also dismissed the claim that the Merit Systems Protection Board held sole jurisdiction over the dispute.

President Trump had previously fired six of the seven board members, leaving only Secretary of State Marco Rubio and preventing the board from reaching the four-member quorum required for a vote. Abramowitz, who has been on leave since March 2025 and was fired in August 2025, expressed his intent to return to his role. He urged Sarah B. Rogers, an appointee to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, to accelerate the restoration of the network's diminished global coverage.