WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump introduced Wednesday that he needs ally Kari Lake to be the following director of the Voice of America, a federal community that is a part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Trump mentioned on Truth Social that Lake can be nominated by the following head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a choose he mentioned he would announce “quickly.”
Trump mentioned Lake would “make sure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast across the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, in contrast to the lies unfold by the Fake News Media.”
VOA representatives didn’t instantly reply to questions concerning the processes for nominating and approving a brand new director, in addition to what Trump’s announcement may imply for the present director, Michael Abramowitz.
Lake mentioned on X she was “honored” by Trump’s announcement.
“Under my management, the VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America’s achievements worldwide,” she mentioned. “Thank you for placing your belief in me, President Trump. I look ahead to main the Voice of America, and I can’t wait to get began.”
The VOA’s said mission is to not promote America’s achievements; moderately, its web site says it’s “dedicated to offering complete protection of the information and telling audiences the reality.”
The VOA additionally emphasizes a “firewall” that its web site says “prohibits interference by any U.S. authorities official within the goal, impartial reporting of reports, thereby safeguarding the flexibility of our journalists to develop content material that displays the best skilled requirements of journalism, freed from political interference.”
Lake labored as a information anchor in Arizona for greater than 20 years at KSAZ, the Phoenix Fox affiliate. In the years since she parted methods with the information business, she ran failed bids for each the Senate and governor of Arizona.
On the marketing campaign path, Lake positioned herself as a staunch ally of Trump and a fierce critic of the business she as soon as belonged to. She taunted journalists as being “pretend information,” saying on the Republican National Convention that they’ve “worn out your welcome.” She tried to discredit reporters, arguing that journalists have “spent the final eight years mendacity about President Donald Trump,” leaning into an unfounded right-wing declare.
Lake has additionally embraced debunked election denialism concerning the 2020 election and touted false claims that the 2022 governor’s race was stolen from her.
The VOA has a broad worldwide attain, with a world weekly viewers of about 354 million individuals and programming in 49 languages, in response to its web site.
Trump beforehand confronted criticism for his 2020 appointment of Michael Pack to go the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Pack was accused of undermining the independence of the networks he oversaw.
Trump posted about Lake alongside a handful of different administration bulletins on Truth Social. He additionally mentioned Wednesday night time that he needs Leandro Rizzuto to be ambassador to the Organization of American States, Peter Lamelas to be ambassador to Argentina, Daniel J. Newlin to be ambassador to Colombia and Michael J. Rigas to be deputy secretary of state for administration and sources.