Donald Trump announces new role for Kari Lake

President-elect Donald Trump has announced Kari Lake as his choice to lead state-funded media network Voice of America (VOA).

Lake, a former TV news anchor, launched a political career as a Republican Trump loyalist just after the president-elect’s first term in the White House. She has gone on to lose both Arizona’s 2022 gubernatorial election to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and this year’s Arizona U.S. Senate race to Democratic Senator-elect Ruben Gallego.

While announcing Lake’s coming job for the U.S. government network in a post to Truth Social on Wednesday night, Trump said that he expected Lake to use her position to counter “the Fake News Media.” He also pointed out that she would technically be appointed by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the federal agency overseeing VOA.

“I am pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next Director of the Voice of America,” Trump wrote. “She will be appointed by, and work closely with, our next head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, who I will announce soon, 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,” he added. “Congratulations Kari!”

In response to a request for comment, Lake’s office pointed Newsweek to a statement she shared on X, formerly Twitter, roughly one hour after Trump’s announcement.

“I am honored that President Trump has asked me to lead the Voice of America,” Lake said in the statement. “@VOANews is a vital international media outlet dedicated to advancing the interests of the United States by engaging directly with people across the globe and promoting democracy and truth.”

“Under my leadership, the VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America’s achievements worldwide,” she added. “Thank you for putting your trust in me, President Trump. I look forward to leading the Voice of America, and I can’t wait to get started.”

VOA produces news content for the international market, including broadcasts that are transmitted in dozens of foreign languages. Other U.S.-funded international media outlets under the purview of the U.S. Agency for Global Media include Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.

During Trump’s first term in the Oval Office, Politico reported on concerns that he was attempting to turn VOA into a propaganda machine. His decision to hand control of the outlet to Lake, who has notably pushed pro-Trump falsehoods concerning his 2020 election loss, could trigger similar criticisms during his second term.

Speculation had been swirling this week that the president-elect might appoint Lake to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico. But on Tuesday night, he announced that he had chosen former CIA official Ron Johnson to serve in the role.