Public statements or reports from VOA or credible news outlets

Trump Appoints Kari Lake, 55, to Lead VOA Reaching 350M Weekly

Dec 12, 2024, 03:26 AM

President-elect Donald Trump has announced the appointment of Kari Lake, 55, as the next Director of the Voice of America (VOA), a federally funded international broadcasting network. Lake, a former television news anchor in Phoenix, Arizona, and a staunch Trump ally, has been a vocal critic of mainstream media, often accusing it of spreading 'fake news.' Trump stated that Lake will work closely with the yet-to-be-announced head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media to ensure that American values of freedom and liberty are broadcast globally in a fair and accurate manner. Lake, who previously ran unsuccessful campaigns for Arizona governor and the U.S. Senate, expressed her gratitude for the appointment and pledged to lead VOA in its mission to provide independent and comprehensive news coverage worldwide. The VOA, which broadcasts in 49 languages and reaches an audience of over 350 million people weekly, operates under a congressional charter that mandates presenting independent news. Trump, a past critic of VOA, notably described its reporting as 'disgusting' in 2020.