Trump appoints immigration hardliner Kari Lake to head Voice of America

WASHINGTON— President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is naming Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for governor of Arizona and the U.S. Senate to lead the congressionally funded agency to take over the broadcaster that delivers news from all over the world.

Lake, an immigration hardliner, 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 spreading misinformation about COVID-19 at its peak the pandemic.

Telegenic and communicative, Lake launched her political career shortly thereafter and quickly built a loyal following and a national profile. She argued with journalists and joined Trump in his harsh criticism of the so-called “fake news” media.

In a statement, Trump said Lake, another election denier, will ultimately be appointed by the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media for his new term and will work closely with him, “which I will announce soon.”

He said Lake will “ensure that American values ​​of freedom and liberty are spread FAIRLY and ACCURATELY around the world, unlike the lies spread by the fake news media.”

The president-elect has been a fierce critic of Voice of America in the past, saying in 2020 that “the things they say are disgusting to our country.”

Trump also criticized the network in his first term for its coverage of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing it of using taxpayer money “to speak for authoritarian regimes.” This came after Voice of America reported on the lifting of lockdowns in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged.

Founded during World War II, Voice of America is mandated by its congressional charter to present independent news and information to an international audience. She responded to Trump’s criticism by defending her reporting.

After taking office in January 2021, the Biden administration immediately removed a number of senior Trump-aligned officials from Voice of America and related positions.

Lake endeared herself to Trump by her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were victims of voter fraud. She has never admitted that she lost the governor’s race and described herself as a “rightful governor” in her 2023 book “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Trump also continues to falsely claim that there was widespread fraud in his 2020 election loss.

Lake continued her unsuccessful court battle to overturn her loss even after she began her run for Senate. She lost last month – to Democrat Ruben Gallego – by a larger margin than two years earlier, after trying to moderate her tone but struggling to maintain a consistent message on sensitive issues such as voter fraud and abortion.

Trump still considered her as his vice presidential running mate before settling on JD Vance.

Also on Wednesday, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his choice for U.S. ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States and said he wanted Florida personal injury lawyer Dan Newlin to be his administration’s ambassador to Colombia.

He also chose Peter Lamelas, a doctor and founder of one of Florida’s largest emergency care companies, as U.S. ambassador to Argentina. Lamelas is also a major donor to the campaigns of Trump and other top Republicans.

Weissert and Cooper write for the Associated Press and report from Washington and Phoenix, respectively.