Donald Trump has nominated Kari Lake, a former television anchor and longtime ally, to serve as the next US ambassador to Jamaica. Lake, who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and the US Senate, currently leads the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA).
If confirmed by the Senate, the appointment would end Lake's tenure at USAGM, which has been controversial. In 2024, Trump appointed Lake to head the agency, and she moved to fire hundreds of VOA employees and cut funding for other news organisations. However, a federal judge ruled in March that Lake had been unlawfully serving because she had not been confirmed by the Senate, voiding her actions including the mass layoffs.
Following the White House announcement on Monday, Lake thanked Trump on social media, stating: 'Jamaica is a country I know very well, full of incredible people, and if confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our nations.' She also defended her work at USAGM, saying she was 'proud of the work we've accomplished' and would continue there during the confirmation process.
Lake spent over two decades as a TV anchor at a Fox affiliate in Phoenix before entering politics. After losing the 2022 Arizona governor's race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, she refused to accept the result, though a state judge rejected her claims. She later lost a US Senate bid in 2024.
Kate Neeper, a USAGM director placed on paid leave in 2025 who joined litigation against the dismantling of VOA, viewed Lake's nomination as a sign that VOA journalists had prevailed. 'This is a concession to that victory,' Neeper told the New York Times. 'Kari Lake was not able to dismantle the agency for lots of reasons, so they've decided to have her do something else.'
