Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America
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 [December 12, 2024]
By WILL WEISSERT and JONATHAN J. COOPER
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he's
picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch
loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat
to head 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 communicating, Lake launched her
political career a short time later, quickly building a loyal following
and national profile as she sparred with journalists and echoed Trump in
her sharp criticism of what she called the “fake news.”
In a statement, Trump said Lake would be ultimately be appointed by and
work closely with the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media for his
incoming administration, “who I will announce soon.”
He said Lake will “ensure that the American values of Freedom and
Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the
lies spread by the Fake News Media.”
The president-elect has in the past been a fierce critic of Voice of
America, including saying in 2020 that “things they say are disgusting
toward our country.”
The broadcaster drew additional criticism during Trump’s first term for
its coverage of the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, with a White
House publication, the "1600 Daily” email summary of news and events,
accusing it of using taxpayer money “to speak for authoritarian
regimes.” That was after VOA covered the lifting of lockdowns in the
Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
VOA was founded during World War II, and its congressional charter
requires it to present independent news and information to international
audiences. It responded to Trump’s criticism by defending its coverage.
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Kari Lake, Republican candidate for Senate in Arizona, speaks to
supporters at a campaign event, Sept. 4, 2024, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP
Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Upon taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden’s
administration swiftly removed a number of senior officials aligned
with Trump from VOA and positions affiliated with it.
Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to
the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election
fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and
called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid:
Just Getting Started.”
Lake continued her unsuccessful fight in court to overturn it even
after beginning her run for Senate — which she lost by an even
higher margin last month, after trying to moderate her tone during
her tone but struggling to keep a consistent message on thorny
topics, including election fraud and abortion.
Trump nonetheless considered her for his vice presidential running
mate before deciding on JD Vance.
Also Wednesday, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his choice to be
the U.S. ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American
States, and said he wanted Florida personal injury attorney Dan
Newlin to be his administration's ambassador to Colombia.
He also picked Peter Lamelas, a physician and the founder of one of
Florida's largest urgent care companies, to be the U.S. ambassador
to Argentina. Lamelas is also a large donor to the past campaigns of
Trump and other top Republicans.
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Cooper reported from Phoenix.
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