Latest Breaking News

Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America

The Associated Press
December 11, 2024, 10:53 PM

{snip}

The president-elect has in the past been a fierce critic of Voice of America, including saying in 2020 that “things they say are disgusting toward our country.”

The broadcaster drew additional criticism during Trump’s first term for its coverage of the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, with a White House publication, the “1600 Daily” email summary of news and events, accusing it of using taxpayer money “to speak for authoritarian regimes.” That was after VOA covered the lifting of lockdowns in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.

{snip}

Upon taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration swiftly removed a number of senior officials aligned with Trump from VOA and positions affiliated with it.

{snip}

Also Wednesday, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his choice to be the U.S. ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States, and said he wanted Florida personal injury attorney Dan Newlin to be his administration’s ambassador to Colombia. … He also picked Peter Lamelas, a physician and the founder of one of Florida’s largest urgent care companies, to be the U.S. ambassador to Argentina. Lamelas is also a large donor to the past campaigns of Trump and other top Republicans.

___

Cooper reported from Phoenix.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.