Kari Lake’s Testimony on US Global Media
Kari Lake remains steadfast in her mission. During a recent testimony before Congress, she characterized the US Global Media (USAGM), which oversees the Voice of America (VOA) and is backed by a $950 million budget, as “rotten.”
“This place is rotten. It’s rotten to the heart,” Lake affirmed while speaking to the House Oversight Committee. “President Trump asked me to come in and clean it up. He issued an executive order to streamline this agency to its essential mission, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m not worried about the backlash.”
Lake’s efforts are supported by others; she provided a letter to House watchdog chair James Comer, along with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, requesting records related to USAGM’s foreign recruitment and other significant issues.
She also commented on the VOA’s Persian News Service amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, suggesting it “rises to the occasion.”
Former President Trump expressed his views, questioning why Republicans would support what he calls a “left-wing disaster” and encouraged efforts to dismantle it.
Lake was candid in her observations about USAGM. “It’s like a rotten fish. You look at it and wonder if there’s anything salvageable, but sometimes it’s better to just discard the whole thing and start fresh,” she explained.
She criticized the agency for being compromised by hostile influences, diverting from its duty to uphold American values abroad. “There’s a chance that the Chinese Communist Party has more say in our editorial decisions than our own management,” she stated.
Lake condemned various grantees, including the VOA and Radio Free Asia, for resisting oversight and financial scrutiny. “About $400 million from hardworking taxpayers goes to these grantees, yet they’ve made it difficult to access essential information,” she remarked.
Support from Republicans on the committee seemed solid. Representative Tim Burchett remarked that the agency should have been shut down years ago, suggesting it’s more of a relic than a relevant organization.
In response, Lake agreed, calling it a “relic.”
Democrats accused her of echoing anti-VOA sentiments similar to those propagated by China. Congressman Madeleine Dean warned that if the agency continues to operate under the current strategy, it may cease to exist by 2026, echoing the administration’s intentions.
Lake countered that she simply aims to follow the law, emphasizing that they must act within the parameters set forth by an executive order from President Trump.
Concerns were raised about how these cuts might impact U.S. influence in critical areas like Iran and North Korea. However, Lake maintained that the staffing levels needed were already too high, indicating that there should have been reductions long ago.
“So many people were in that newsroom; we’ve reduced it,” she noted, pointing out redundant roles among various grantees.
In closing, Lake conveyed a message centered on efficiency. “We can do this smarter, leaner, and remain loyal to American values.”
