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.

It wasn’t exactly what Kari Lake was planning. The onetime candidate for Arizona governor and U.S. Senate whom Trump tapped to lead VOA had, like other MAGA loyalists, eagerly sought a role in the new administration. An ardent booster of Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, Lake had also echoed Trump’s criticism of national media outlets and of the content at VOA. If confirmed to lead the organization, she had said, she would be able to transform the outlet into a powerful “weapon” to fight an “information war.”