President-elect Donald Trump announced that Kari Lake, a former news anchor and candidate for the Arizona Senate, would be the next director of the publicly funded Voice of America network. The update came amid several recurring appointments to his administration Wednesday night, all of which he shared through his Truth Social account.
In his post congratulating Lake, Trump said, “Kari was a beloved news anchor in Arizona who supported me by record margins for over 20 years.”
Kari Lake at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 16, 2024.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Trump also indicated that he will soon announce a head of the US agency for global media. He wrote that Lake would work closely with that person “to ensure that the American values of freedom and liberty are broadcast around the world FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, contrary to the lies spread by the Fake News Media.”
Lake, who lost her bid for a Senate seat in Arizona in this year’s election, did not have a straightforward political career before joining Trump.
She left the GOP for eight years to register as an independent and then a Democrat before returning to her political career as a Republican, finding success with policies aligned with the Make America Great Again crowd.
She was a vocal supporter of Trump’s “big lie” about election fraud in 2021 — and she used that narrative to fuel her own campaign for governor in 2022. She also refused to concede the loss of her own gubernatorial race and tried unsuccessfully to overturn the results.
Trump also said he will nominate Michael Rigas to the State Department as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.
Rigas served in the last Trump administration in several capacities, including as both deputy director and acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, and as acting deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.
In his post, Trump stated, “Mike is a conservative warrior who knows how government works and wants to help make America great again!”
Trump also shared that he planned to nominate three of his former donors to ambassadorships on Wednesday: Peter Lamelas, Daniel Newlin and Leandro Rizzuto.
He wrote that Newlin would be nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Colombia.
In his congratulatory note on Truth Social, Trump boasted of Newlin’s law enforcement career, writing, “Dan boasts an impressive 28-year career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida. Throughout his tenure, Newlin quickly progressed working in major crimes As a fugitive detective, Dan demonstrated exceptional investigative skills, successfully taking hundreds of violent criminals off the streets, including those involved with the gun robbery, gang violence, human trafficking and the illegal trade in arms and drugs.”
He also praised Newlin for founding a tort practice and went on to say, “With his law enforcement expertise that enables him to navigate complex international issues and his business acumen that fosters financial partnerships, Newlin stands as a strong advocate for American interests, and a Champion for strengthening ties and making a difference in the world.”
Electronic billboards for attorney Dan Newlin and political ads for Donald Trump also paid for by Newlin along I-4 in Florida on July 10, 2024.
Orlando Sentinel/TNS
He also announced Lamelas as his choice for ambassador to Argentina, writing, “Peter is a physician, philanthropist and an incredible businessman, best known for founding the largest Urgent Care healthcare company in Florida.”
The post continued: “As a child, Peter and his family fled Communist Cuba and LEGALLY immigrated to the United States, starting with nothing and achieving the American Dream.”
Trump then announced Rizzuto as his pick for US ambassador to the Organization of American States, citing his professional achievements and saying the Conair co-founder would be “fantastic”.
The ambassadorships require Senate confirmation.
