Trump says he wants Kari Lake to helm Voice of America
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Trump Taps Kari Lake to Lead Voice of America
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The Facts
Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced Kari Lake as his choice to lead Voice of America (VOA) — a federally funded international broadcaster reaching 354M people weekly in 49 languages.
Lake, a former Arizona news anchor who lost recent bids for governor and US Senate, during her campaigns called journalists "monsters" and pledged to be reporters' "worst nightmare." Lake on Wednesday said she would ensure that VOA "excel[s] in its mission: chronicling America's achievements worldwide."
The Spin
Republican narrative
This appointment would put a trusted Trump ally in charge of a vital international media outlet. Lake would ensure American values are broadcast fairly and accurately worldwide, countering fake news and promoting democracy through truthful reporting.
Democratic narrative
Installing a media-hostile election denier to lead an independent news organization makes this a dangerous potential appointment. Lake would threaten VOA's journalistic integrity and risk turning a respected global broadcaster into a propaganda outlet — undermining its mission of objective reporting.
