President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Kari Lake, a former Republican Senate candidate from Arizona, will serve as director of Voice of America in the next administration.
Trump, 78, has appointed Lake as the soon-to-be-announced nominee to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media and will work closely with him to ensure American values of liberty and freedom are communicated to the world. He said he would try. The world is fair and accurate, unlike the lies spread by fake news media. ”
“Kari is a beloved newscaster in Arizona who supported me by a record margin for more than 20 years,” the president-elect said in an announcement on Truth Social.
As head of Voice of America (VOA), Lake will lead a $267 million, taxpayer-funded international news organization that has been censored under the Biden administration. and faces accusations of “wokeism.”
The news organization, founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, initially refused to call Hamas members “terrorists” and called the terrorist organization’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel ” It has also been criticized for describing it as an “invasion.”
Lake, 55, was a news anchor for Phoenix-based Fox affiliate KSAV-TV before entering politics.
She narrowly lost the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, but refused to concede and contested the results for years to no avail.
In 2024, Lake ran for the Arizona Senate seat vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), but was defeated again by Democrat Ruben Gallego by more than 2 percentage points. did.
Lake is a staunch ally of President Trump, has received the support of the 45th president, and was previously considered by the president-elect to be ambassador to Mexico.
President Trump on Tuesday nominated Ron Johnson, a former Central Intelligence Agency official, Army Green Beret and ambassador to El Salvador, to be ambassador to Mexico.
The VOA role was one of several administration posts President Trump filled Wednesday.
The president-elect announced that Michael Rigas, who served as an official during President Trump’s first term, will return to serve as deputy secretary of state for management and resources.
“Mike is a conservative warrior who knows how government works and will help make America great again!” President Trump said of Rigas.
He also appointed personal injury law firm founder Daniel Newlin as ambassador to Colombia.
Newlin, a former Orange County, Fla., sheriff’s deputy and detective, has demonstrated “excellent investigative skills and has investigated hundreds of violent criminals, including those involved in armed robbery, gang violence, human trafficking, and illegal firearms.” “We’ve been successful in getting them off the streets.” Trump said he has “addressed drug trafficking and drug trafficking” during his 28-year career in law enforcement.
Dr. Peter Lamelas, founder of MD Now Urgent Care Centers, was selected by President Trump to be ambassador to Argentina.
President Trump noted that Lamelas, a Cuban defector, had previously been appointed to the Justice Department’s Medal of Valor review committee, and described Lamelas as a “physician, philanthropist, and great businessman.”
Rounding out President Trump’s newest administration candidates is Leandro Rizzuto, the president-elect’s nominee to be ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS).
“Mr. Lee ran ConAir for many years and built it into one of America’s most successful companies,” President Trump said. “Additionally, Mr. Lee has made a successful career as U.S. Consul General to Bermuda. Mr. Lee will be an excellent next OAS Ambassador!”
