President Trump has nominated former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica.

“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, advancing America’s interests abroad, and building on the deep friendship shared by the American and Jamaican people,” Lake, who currently serves as the senior advisor to the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), wrote on X.

“Honored to continue serving in this HISTORIC Administration!” she added.

Trump on Monday announced several nominations to the Senate.

From The White House:

Francis Brooke, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.

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Cameron Hamilton, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.

Brendan Hanrahan, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European and Eurasian Affairs).

Karen Jean Hedlund, of New York, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2030.

Kari Lake, of Arizona, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Jamaica.

Douglas Mastriano, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Slovak Republic.

Brett Matsumoto, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, for a term of four years.

Douglas Ralph, of Kentucky, to be a Member of the National Mediation Board for a term expiring July 1, 2028.

Barbera Thornhill, of North Carolina, to be Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, with the rank of Ambassador at Large.

Nicole Saphier, of New Jersey, to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service, subject to qualifications therefor as provided by law and regulations, and to be Surgeon General of the Public Health Service for a term of four years.

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David Cummins, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration for a term of five years.

Heidi Semann, of Missouri, to be Inspector General, Department of Education.

John Crews, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for a term expiring August 2, 2031.

Mastriano, a state senator in Pennsylvania, unsuccessfully ran for governor of the Keystone State in 2022.

In March, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Agency for Global Media had to reverse its decision to lay off more than 1,000 journalists and staffers.

The judge also ruled that Lake was not legally allowed to serve as head of the agency.

“Lake satisfies the requirements of neither the statute nor the Constitution,” U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth wrote in his ruling, according to NPR.

He declared all of Lake’s actions to be null and void.

NBC News has more:

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth said Tuesday that Lake “repeatedly thumbed her nose” at statutory requirements and that the Trump administration has “made no effort to defend the merits” of its downsizing decision.

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When reached for comment, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which houses Voice of America, responded with a statement from the White House.

“President Trump was elected to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse across the administration, including at the Voice of America — and efforts to improve efficiency at USAGM have been a tremendous success. This will not be the final say on the matter,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said.

VOA Director Michael Abramowitz, who was put on leave alongside hundreds of his employees, praised the ruling.

“We are thrilled with Judge Lamberth’s ruling and look forward to getting back to work,” Abramowitz told NBC News in a text message. “Voice of America has never been more needed. I am grateful for the resilience and dedication of VOA’s amazing workforce.”

Abramowitz sued the Trump administration last year to restore the organization’s editorial independence. That lawsuit became the case that Lamberth ruled on Tuesday.

 

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