Kari Lake Named to Head Voice of America After 2 Election Defeats in Arizona

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has appointed Kari Lake, a former Phoenix news anchor, to lead the Voice of America. Lake, who lost gubernatorial races in Arizona in both 2022 and 2024, is a loyal supporter of Trump and her selection signifies a departure from the typical leadership at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

Lake spent nearly thirty years in journalism before leaving her position at a local Fox affiliate in 2021. Her departure followed several controversial statements and social media missteps, including unfounded accusations linking the #RedForEd movement to marijuana legalization. During the pandemic, she also propagated misinformation surrounding COVID-19.

Transitioning into politics, Lake embraced Trump’s false claims regarding the 2020 election and mirrored his combative style. Her political career began shortly after her exit from broadcasting, allowing her to quickly build a base among Arizona Republicans. She secured her place in the GOP gubernatorial primary by defeating a prominent candidate connected to wealthy developers but found it challenging to expand her support beyond the MAGA base.

In a narrow loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs, Lake trailed by approximately 17,000 votes. This defeat was attributed to her alienation of moderate Republicans and independent voters, particularly after she made derogatory comments about supporters of the late Senator John McCain. Despite her loss, Lake insisted on unfounded claims of election fraud. Her legal challenges were dismissed twice due to a lack of evidence, with her final appeal rejected by the Arizona Supreme Court just a month ago.

Lake’s political career faced another setback in the recent 2024 U.S. Senate race, where she lost to Democrat Ruben Gallego by nearly 81,000 votes. Notably, she did not contest this defeat, marking a change in her approach since her previous allegations.

Trump has long criticized the Voice of America, claiming in 2020 that its reporting was damaging to the United States. His administration accused the broadcaster of misusing taxpayer funds to support authoritarian regimes, particularly over its coverage of COVID-19 lockdowns in Wuhan, China. Established during World War II, Voice of America is required by its congressional charter to deliver independent news to international audiences. In 2021, the Biden administration quickly removed Trump-aligned officials from its leadership.