Washington, Dec 12: President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has selected Kari Lake to lead Voice of America (VOA), appointing a devoted ally who previously ran for both Arizona governor and a Senate seat. Lake is set to take charge of the congressionally funded organization, which is known for providing independent news globally.
Having a background as a strict immigration advocate, Lake worked as a television news anchor in Phoenix for nearly 30 years before leaving in 2021. Her departure came after making several controversial statements online, including sharing misinformation regarding COVID-19 during the pandemic. Shortly after, she ventured into politics, garnering a strong following and national recognition for her confrontations with journalists and for echoing Trump’s critical stance on what she describes as “fake news.”
Her staunch belief in the unfounded claim of election fraud has endeared her to Trump, particularly since she has never acknowledged her defeat in the 2022 gubernatorial race, losing the recent Senate race by an even larger margin. Trump had even contemplated her as a potential vice presidential pick before settling on JD Vance.
Historically, Trump has expressed strong criticism of Voice of America, even labeling its coverage as “disgusting” toward the U.S. in 2020. During his first term, the broadcaster faced additional scrutiny for its reporting on the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, including accusations that it misused taxpayer funds to support authoritarian governments by covering the easing of lockdowns in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
VOA was established during World War II and operates under a congressional mandate to provide independent news to global audiences. In response to Trump’s past criticisms, the organization has defended its reporting.
Upon taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration promptly removed several senior officials from VOA who were aligned with Trump.
Additionally, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his nominee for the U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States, and he expressed a desire to appoint Florida attorney Dan Newlin as the ambassador to Colombia. He also selected Peter Lamelas, a physician and founder of one of Florida’s largest urgent care chains, to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Argentina. Lamelas is known for his substantial contributions to Trump’s previous campaigns and other prominent Republican figures. (AP)
