Trump Nominates Kari Lake as U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica After Voice of America Turmoil

President Donald Trump has nominated Kari Lake to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, the White House announced on May 11, 2026.

The Details

The nomination places the former Arizona news anchor and Trump ally into a diplomatic post overseeing U.S. relations with Jamaica, a position she would assume only after Senate confirmation.

Lake, who previously served as a senior adviser within the Trump administration's media apparatus, recently led efforts targeting the U.S. Agency for Global Media and Voice of America. According to the New York Times, those efforts included attempts to fire journalists and cut funding to affiliated outlets. The moves triggered a contentious period at the federally funded broadcasters, which operate under the umbrella of USAGM.

In a statement after the nomination, Lake thanked Trump and said she was honored by the selection. "Jamaica is a country I know very well, full of incredible people," she said, according to BBC News.

Lake has no known background in diplomacy, USA Today reported, and must win Senate confirmation before she can take up the post in Kingston. If confirmed, she would succeed former ambassador Nick Perry, whose term ended in January 2025, the Jamaica Gleaner reported.

Context

Lake's nomination follows electoral losses in Arizona's 2022 gubernatorial race and the state's 2024 Senate contest, according to BBC News. She subsequently joined the Trump administration and became involved in the restructuring of Voice of America and USAGM, a period marked by staff upheaval and funding disputes at the outlets.

The ambassador post in Jamaica has been vacant since Perry departed in early 2025, leaving the diplomatic mission without a Senate-confirmed chief for more than a year.

What's Next

Lake must now navigate the Senate confirmation process, though the timing of any hearing was not available in the sourced material reviewed. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee typically vets ambassador nominees before floor votes, but no schedule has been announced.