White House press secretary? Newsmax anchor? Ambassador to Mexico? All no.
In a post Wednesday night on Truth Social, Trump announced that he was tapping Lake as the director of state-run media broadcaster Voice of America.
In true Trump fashion, the president-elect’s announcement contained a not-so-subtle shot at his new appointee. While lauding Lake’s 20-year career in news media, Trump bragged that Arizona supported him “by record margins” — conspicuously omitting that the state rejected Lake at the same time.
Here’s what to know about Lake’s appointment.
What is Voice of America?
The agency Lake is set to direct is an international broadcasting state media network funded by the federal government. Founded in 1942, VOA was created to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II by distributing unbiased news and information.Today, the network has a similar goal. It distributes news content in nearly 50 languages to affiliate stations around the world. And while you may have never heard of it, according to the network’s website, more than 354 million people tune in weekly.
Funded by Congress, VOA is part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a government agency that oversees all non-military U.S. international broadcasting. Still, the network has a “firewall” protected by the 1994 U.S. International Broadcasting Act, which prohibits the U.S. government from interfering in its news reporting.
What will Lake do as Voice of America director?
As director, Lake would, among other positions, oversee the network, which includes divisions in East Asia and the Pacific, South and Central Asia, Africa and Latin America. The man Lake will be replacing, Michael Abramowitz, just started his position as director over the summer.Before working at VOA, Abramowitz was the president of the democracy nonprofit organization Freedom House. He also was the director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and spent 24 years as a reporter and editor at The Washington Post.
And while VOA director appointments don’t require Senate confirmation, Lake’s appointment isn’t a shoo-in. Since 2021, only the six-member International Broadcasting Advisory Board has had the power to approve or remove heads of the VOA. Members of the IBAB are appointed by the president and must be confirmed by the Senate.
By law, no more than three members of the IBAB can be from the same political party. There are three Democrats currently on the board, including two whose terms aren’t set to end until 2027. To become VOA director, Lake will need at least one Democrat to vote for her.
What has the reaction been to Lake's appointment?
Trump already has been in trouble with the network. During his previous administration, his pick to run the agency was accused of trying to turn VOA into the propaganda arm of the administration. A federal judge ruled that Trump’s director had violated the First Amendment rights of its journalists.Happy to finally have a job, Lake expressed excitement for the position on social media Wednesday night. She said she “can’t wait to get started” in “chronicling America’s achievements worldwide.”
While Arizona Republicans, such as U.S. Representative-elect Abe Hamadeh, congratulated Lake, others jokingly wondered how the forever-candidate could serve as the governor, senator and VOA director all at the same time.
