Kari Lake, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump and a twice-failed candidate for Arizona governor and U.S. Senate, has been nominated for a new diplomatic role. The White House announced Monday that Lake is set to be appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Lake, 56, is a former television anchor who became a vocal proponent of Trump's claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. She ran for Arizona governor in 2022 but lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs, and later lost a U.S. Senate seat to Democrat Ruben Gallego in 2024. Despite these losses, she has remained a loyal figure within Trump's circle.
Currently, Lake serves as a senior advisor to the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). She was previously nominated to lead Voice of America at the start of the Trump administration but was never confirmed by the Senate for that role. Her new nomination as ambassador will require Senate approval, a hurdle she has yet to overcome in any of her previous appointments.
Other notable nominations announced include Cameron Hamilton, who has been selected to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security for a second time. Hamilton was previously ousted by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she moved to defund large parts of the agency. He is now up for another run at the job under the new leadership of Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Additionally, the White House withdrew the nomination of Casey Means, a crusader for the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, for the role of Surgeon General.
Lake's nomination comes after reports that she had hoped to mount a third political run for an Arizona House seat. However, she told the Daily Mail in November that such a run was not in her plans. 'That is not in my plans,' Lake said during a red carpet appearance at the Trump Kennedy Center. 'I'm actually very happy working for the Trump administration. I'm excited about work every day.' She added, 'So the answer is no.'
Earlier reporting by The Atlantic painted a picture of Lake waiting in the White House lobby to bend Trump's ear in October. A White House aide revealed, 'Kari has been here for hours. She's going to run and she's asking for an endorsement.' Lake denied the report, stating, 'The President has always been very gracious and generous when I have requested time with him.' She also said, 'If and when I decide to run for office, The Atlantic will be the last to know.'
In April 2024, during Lake's Senate run, the Washington Post reported that Trump was growing annoyed with Lake for her frequent trips to Mar-a-Lago, at one point gently suggesting she leave the Florida resort and hit the campaign trail. While Trump won back the White House and turned Arizona red again, Lake lost to Gallego by 2.4 points.
Trump then selected Lake to lead USAGM, which oversees Voice of America. Lake had attempted to shut down the agency after it became a target of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, but that effort faced legal roadblocks due to her lack of Senate confirmation.
