CNN
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Presidents do not typically choose the director of Voice of America, an international news network funded by the U.S. government. But President-elect Donald Trump says he wants his ally Kari Lake to take over VOA.

Trump’s social media post on Wednesday night – in which he said, “I’m pleased to announce that Kari Lake will serve as our next director of Voice of America” ​​- foreshadows many future battles over VOA to come during Trump’s administration First term in office became an ideological battleground.

Some journalists at VOA are extremely concerned about the idea that Lake, a longtime local television host turned media hater and election denier, could take over the outlet.

“We hope the guardrails hold,” a VOA employee told CNN on condition of anonymity.

It’s about the question: What should VOA be and who should it serve?

Voice of America is part of the US Agency for Global Media, which also operates stations such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. VOA produces award-winning journalism, promoting democratic values ​​around the world. The U.S. government has historically portrayed VOA as a counterweight to foreign propaganda and a model of free, fair and truthful reporting.

Partly for this reason, VOA states that it has a “firewall” that “prohibits interference by U.S. government officials in the objective, independent reporting of news.”

Appointing a new head of news is much more complicated than a Truth Social post.

So for now, Trump’s announcement is more of a suggestion – albeit a very influential one.

Trump’s statement said Lake “will be appointed by and will work closely with our next head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, whom I will announce soon.”

During Trump’s first term, it took two years for his nominee to lead the agency, Michael Pack, to be confirmed by the Senate. When Pack arrived, chaos ensued within VOA and other parts of the agency. Pack fired the heads of several networks; populated their boards with Trump loyalists; is said to have attempted to interfere in the reporting; and brought in political appointees to investigate a VOA White House reporter for alleged anti-Trump bias.

Some conservatives applauded his efforts. But a federal investigation later looked into whistleblower complaints and found a long list of abuses.

The Trump-era purge efforts led Congress to enact reforms. A bipartisan group called the International Broadcasting Advisory Board is now working with the CEO of the US Agency of Global Media. By law, the head of the VOA can only be “appointed or removed” by a majority vote of the board.

If it sounds like a lot of bureaucracy, it is. However, it is intended to provide broadcasters with a certain degree of independence.

That’s why Trump is “putting the cart before the horse” with Lake’s announcement, an agency veteran told CNN.

The board celebrated the swearing in of a new VOA director, Michael Abramowitz, a few months ago. Abramowitz is a former Washington Post correspondent and president of Freedom House. He said VOA’s mission is “to provide accurate, comprehensive and objective news and to tell America’s story to people around the world, many of whom have no alternative source of information.”

Trump described the mission on Wednesday evening in overly political language. He said Lake – who had been harshly critical of American journalists during her two failed campaigns for office in Arizona – would “ensure that American values ​​of freedom and liberty are spread FAIRLY and ACCURATELY around the world, unlike the… Lies spread by the fake news media.”

Speaking anonymously out of fear of retaliation, a VOA employee told CNN that Abramowitz had been well received within the organization, while “many of us were very concerned” about the idea of ​​Lake taking his place.

First, Trump needs to nominate someone to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media. This person and the Advisory Board will then review the VOA position. The composition of the board will change in favor of Republicans next year, as a member will come from Trump’s State Department. But the terms of office of the other board members somewhat protect them from political pressure.

When reached Wednesday evening, current board Chairman Kenneth Jarin, a Biden appointee who has two years left on the board, said: “No comment.”