Kari Lake Takes the Helm of Voice of America After Double Election Defeat in AZ

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Kari Lake, a former news anchor with a controversial political career, as the head of the Voice of America. Lake, who lost gubernatorial races in Arizona in both 2022 and 2024, aligns closely with Trump and will now oversee the taxpayer-funded broadcaster responsible for delivering independent news globally.

Lake, a prominent Phoenix television anchor for nearly three decades, left her position at a local Fox affiliate in 2021 following multiple contentious incidents on social media. Her claims, such as accusing the #RedForEd movement of promoting marijuana legalization and spreading misinformation about COVID-19, raised eyebrows during her tenure.

Transitioning to politics, Lake adopted Trump’s falsehoods regarding the 2020 election, mirroring his combative style. This approach initially endeared her to Arizona Republicans, leading to a primary victory over the spouse of a well-connected GOP figure. However, her appeal failed to extend beyond Trump’s base, resulting in a 2022 gubernatorial loss to Katie Hobbs by a narrow margin.

Notably, she alienated moderate Republicans and independent voters by disparaging supporters of the late U.S. Senator John McCain. Even after her defeat, Lake continued to propagate unfounded allegations of election fraud, which were ultimately dismissed in court, culminating in a recent rejection by the Arizona Supreme Court.

In the 2024 election, Lake again faced defeat, this time against Democrat Ruben Gallego in a bid for the U.S. Senate, losing by nearly 81,000 votes. Unlike her previous attempts, she did not challenge the outcome or seek to overturn the results.

Historically critical of Voice of America, Trump has accused the outlet of spreading disinformation and aligning with authoritarian interests. Founded during World War II, the organization is mandated by congressional charter to provide unbiased information to international audiences. Following Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, several Trump-era officials were removed from the agency.