Trump Appoints Immigration Hard-liner Kari Lake to Lead Voice of America

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has announced his appointment of Kari Lake as the new director of Voice of America, marking a significant move towards placing a loyal supporter in charge of the federally funded broadcaster. Lake, who previously ran for Arizona governor and a Senate seat but was unsuccessful, is known for her hardline stance on immigration and her controversial social media presence, which included disseminating misinformation regarding Covid-19 during the pandemic.
Lake transitioned from a nearly thirty-year career as a television news anchor in Phoenix to politics, where she quickly built a strong following by criticizing media narratives and aligning herself closely with Trump’s rhetoric about “fake news.” In a recent statement, Trump emphasized that Lake would work closely with the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, whose appointment will be announced soon, stating that she aims to represent American values of freedom and liberty through VOA’s broadcasts.
Historically, Trump has been a vocal critic of Voice of America, previously describing some of its content as “disgusting toward our country.” The broadcaster faced scrutiny during his administration, particularly regarding its reporting on the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Critics highlighted that VOA reportedly used taxpayer money to advocate for authoritarian governments, an allegation that stemmed from its coverage of the lifting of lockdowns in Wuhan, China.
Established during World War II, VOA’s mission is to provide independent news to global audiences, a principle it defended amid Trump’s critiques. Following President Joe Biden’s inauguration, the new administration moved to remove several Trump-aligned officials from VOA.
Kari Lake has remained a contentious figure, promoting debunked claims about election fraud and referring to herself as the “lawful governor” in her 2023 memoir, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” After her gubernatorial defeat, she continued to pursue legal challenges, even as she later ran for Senate and faced another loss, struggling to maintain a consistent message on critical issues.
In tandem with Lake’s appointment, Trump also announced the selection of Leandro Rizzuto as U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States and stated that he intends to nominate attorney Dan Newlin as ambassador to Colombia. Furthermore, he selected Dr. Peter Lamelas, a significant donor to Republican campaigns, to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Argentina.