Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has appointed Kari Lake as the new director of Voice of America (VOA), a prominent state-funded international media organisation.

VOA has a significant global presence, providing news and programming in various languages, including Somali, Dari, and French, thereby reaching audiences across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Although it operates with US funding, VOA is widely recognized for its commitment to independent journalism, delivering both global and domestic news to international audiences.

Despite its reputation for impartiality, the outlet faced criticism during Trump's previous administration due to perceived political interference in its operations.

Kari Lake, known for her tenure as a television news anchor, aligns with the hard-line conservative values and was the Republican candidate for governor of Arizona in 2022 and for a US Senate seat in 2024, both of which she lost.

Her refusal to acknowledge the outcomes of her past electoral defeats, as well as Trump's loss to Joe Biden, has further solidified her controversial stance.

As Trump prepares to take office in January, his staffing choices reflect a circle of close allies.

In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed enthusiasm about Lake's appointment, indicating his intent to shape the direction of the VOA under her leadership.

Past controversies linked to Trump's first term, especially with Michael Pack, head of the US Agency for Global Media overseeing VOA, included moves to dismantle protections designed to shield editorial operations from political influence, raising alarms about the potential for renewed bias within the organization.

The scrutiny even extended to a VOA White House reporter investigated for alleged anti-Trump sentiments.