Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America

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.

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.