President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Kari Lake, a former Republican US Senate candidate from Arizona, will serve as the director of Voice of America in his incoming administration.
Trump, 78, indicated that Lake will be “appointed by, and work closely with” his soon-to-be-announced pick to lead the US Agency for Global Media “to 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.”
“Kari was a beloved News Anchor in Arizona, which supported me by record margins, for over 20 years,” the president-elect said in his announcement on Truth Social.
As head of Voice of America (VOA), Lake will lead a taxpayer-funded international media outlet – with a $267 million budget – that has faced accusations of censorship and “woke-ism” under the Biden administration.
The outlet, founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, has also been criticized for initially refusing to refer to Hamas members as “terrorists” and describing the terror group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel as an “incursion.”
Lake, 55, was a news anchor for Phoenix-based Fox affiliate KSAV-TV before entering the world of politics.
She narrowly lost the Arizona governor’s race to Democrat Katie Hobbs in 2022 — but refused to concede and challenged the outcome for years to no avail.
In 2024, Lake ran for the US Senate seat in Arizona being vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) but lost again – coming in more than two percentage points behind Democrat Ruben Gallego.
Lake, a staunch Trump ally who received endorsements from the 45th president, was previously being considered as the president-elect’s possible pick to serve as ambassador to Mexico.
Trump named Ron Johnson — a former Central Intelligence Agency official, Army Green Beret and ambassador to El Salvador — as ambassador to Mexico on Tuesday.
The VOA role was among several administration posts Trump filled Wednesday.
The president-elect announced that Michael Rigas, an official during Trump’s first term, will return and 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!” Trump said of Rigas.
He also named personal injury law firm founder Daniel Newlin as ambassador to Colombia.
Newlin, who is also a former Orange County, Fla., deputy sheriff and detective, “demonstrated exceptional investigative skills, successfully taking hundreds of violent offenders off the streets, including those involved in armed robbery, gang violence, human trafficking, and illegal gun and narcotics trafficking” during his 28-year career in law enforcement, Trump said.
Dr. Peter Lamelas, the founder of MD Now Urgent Care Centers, was tapped by Trump to serve as ambassador to Argentina.
The Cuban exile was previously appointed to serve on the Department of Justice’s Medal of Valor Review Board, Trump noted, describing Lamelas as a “a physician, philanthropist, and an incredible businessman.”
Rounding out Trump’s latest administration pick is Leandro Rizzuto, whom the president-elect nominated to serve as ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS).
“For many years, Lee successfully ran and grew Conair into one of the most successful companies in the United States,” Trump said. “Additionally, Lee served with distinction as U.S. Consul General to Bermuda. Lee will be fantastic as our next Ambassador to the OAS!”
