President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he is picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who failed to run for Arizona governor and Senate seats to lead the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world.
Lake, an immigration hard-liner, was a television news anchor in Phoenix for nearly three decades until she left in 2021 after making a series of controversial statements on social media, including sharing COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic.
Telegenic, engaging and adept at communication, Lake launched her political career shortly after, quickly building a loyal following and a national profile as she sparred with reporters and echoed Trump’s scathing criticism of what she called “fake news.”
In a statement, Trump said Lake would eventually be appointed and work closely with the head of the US Agency for Global Media for his incoming administration, adding, “I will make an announcement soon.”
He said Lake would “ensure that the American values of freedom and liberty are broadcast fairly and accurately around the world, contrary to the lies spread by the fake news media.”
The president-elect has been a vocal critic of Voice of America in the past, saying in 2020 that “the things they say are disgusting to our country.”
The broadcaster drew further criticism for its coverage of the early days of the coronavirus pandemic during Trump’s first term, with the White House publishing, “1,600 daily” email summaries of news and events, accusing it of using taxpayer money to “speak in favor of dictatorial regimes.” That was after VOA covered the lifting of a lockdown in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
VOA was founded during World War II, and its congressional charter required it to present independent news and information to an international audience. It responded to Trump’s criticism by defending its coverage.
After taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration quickly removed several senior Trump-affiliated officials from VOA and related positions.
Lake endeared herself to Trump through her staunch commitment to the lie that both she and Trump were victims of election fraud. He never admitted losing the governor’s race and called himself a “legitimate governor” in his 2023 book, “Unfraud: Just Getting Started.”
Lake continued his unsuccessful court battle to overturn it even after launching his run for the Senate — which he lost by a narrower margin last month, after trying to moderate his tone but struggling to maintain a consistent message on thorny issues. Electoral fraud and abortion.
Before deciding on J.D. Vance, Trump considered him as his running mate for the vice presidency.
Also on Wednesday, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his pick for US ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States, and he wants Florida personal injury lawyer Dan Newlin to be his administration’s ambassador to Colombia.
He also chose Peter Lamelas, a physician and founder of Florida’s largest urgent care company, to be the US ambassador to Argentina. Lamelas is also a big donor to the past campaigns of Trump and other top Republicans.
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