President-elect Donald Trump has selected Kari Lake, a steadfast supporter and unsuccessful candidate for both the Arizona gubernatorial and senatorial positions, as the head of the U.S. government-funded broadcaster Voice of America.
Lake, who previously worked as a local news anchor at Fox 10 Phoenix, emerged as one of the most outspoken figures questioning the outcome of the 2020 presidential election following Trump’s defeat to Joe Biden. She persisted in her allegations of election fraud after her slim defeat in the 2022 gubernatorial election in Arizona, never acknowledging her Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs as the winner.
Attempting to secure a second public office in 2024, Lake aimed to harness Trump’s influence on the ballot to win the Senate seat vacated by outgoing Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Ultimately, she lost to Democrat Ruben Gallego, despite Trump winning the state in the presidential election.
In a post on Truth Social to announce her appointment, Trump commended Lake’s background in broadcast journalism and boasted about achieving a “record margins” victory in Arizona.
“She will be appointed by, and collaborate closely with, our upcoming leader of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, who will be revealed shortly, to guarantee that American principles of Freedom and Liberty are communicated globally in a FAIR and ACCURATE manner, contrasting the misinformation propagated by the Fake News Media,” wrote Trump.
Lake later expressed on X that she was “honored,” referring to Voice of America as “a crucial global media organization committed to advancing U.S. interests by directly engaging with individuals worldwide and fostering democracy and truth.
“With my guidance, the VOA will thrive in its mission to highlight America’s successes across the globe.”
During his first term, Trump appointed conservative filmmaker Michael Pack as the CEO of USAGM in 2018. Although Pack served for only about seven months after a prolonged confirmation process, he managed to create controversy by replacing the VOA director with a Trump supporter and utilizing taxpayer resources to employ a private law firm for investigating staff within the agency.
