VOA Staffers Remain on Paid Leave as Costs Mount

Key points

• A State Department inspector general report reveals that the government is paying an estimated $1.6 million per week to keep 420 Voice of America (VOA) employees on administrative leave.
• In March 2025, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) placed 994 of its 1,147 federal employees on leave and cut 594 of 602 contract workers, halting broadcasts.
• The cuts were driven by an executive order from President Trump and spearheaded by Kari Lake, who was later found to have acted illegally as the agency's CEO.
• Sarah B. Rogers, a State Department official, has been nominated to lead USAGM and has indicated plans to hire back some staff, though Senate confirmation is pending.
• Critics, including VOA director Michael Abramowitz and other plaintiffs, argue that the prolonged shutdown has caused irreparable harm to the network's global audience and the trust built by journalists over decades.

Background

The Voice of America (VOA) is a government-funded news outlet that has historically served as a key tool for U.S. international broadcasting. The current situation follows a broader pattern of federal media and information agencies facing significant restructuring or defunding under the current administration. The March 2025 actions by USAGM were part of a wider effort to reduce the federal footprint of public media, leading to legal challenges and ongoing debates about the role of government-funded journalism in global communications.

Why it matters

The ongoing financial drain on the federal budget and the potential loss of a major U.S. international media presence highlight the long-term consequences of abrupt government restructuring. The report underscores the tension between cost-cutting initiatives and the preservation of critical public services, while the legal battles and pending leadership changes suggest that the future of VOA and similar agencies remains uncertain. The potential loss of a trusted global news source could have significant implications for U.S. soft power and international information access.

What to watch

The next major step is the Senate confirmation of Sarah B. Rogers as the head of USAGM. If confirmed, Rogers is expected to begin the process of rehiring staff and potentially restoring some VOA operations. The outcome of ongoing lawsuits, including those filed by VOA director Michael Abramowitz and other employees, will also play a crucial role in determining the agency's future. The government may face further scrutiny over the financial and operational costs of the prolonged shutdown.