Key facts
- The Trump administration attempted to dismantle Voice of America (VOA) and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
- A federal judge ruled these dismantling efforts unlawful and ordered VOA's operations restored.
- USAGM is paying 420 employees $3.2 million every two weeks to remain on paid leave.
- The agency is reinstating canceled contracts, rehiring staff, and purchasing new equipment.
- The State Department's inspector general noted that decisions intended to save money were being reversed, incurring additional costs.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is actively rebuilding Voice of America (VOA) after the Trump administration's attempts to dismantle the federal agency, a move that has resulted in significant costs to taxpayers. Despite the administration's stated goal of eliminating waste and shrinking government, the agency is now reinstating canceled contracts, rehiring staff, and purchasing new equipment.
According to a new report by the State Department's inspector general, USAGM is paying 420 employees $3.2 million every two weeks to remain on administrative leave. This comes as a federal judge ruled the Trump administration's efforts to shutter VOA unlawful, ordering the government to restore operations and send over 1,000 employees back to work. The judge described the administration's actions as "arbitrary and capricious."
The Trump administration had justified dismantling the agency by citing disagreements with the networks' content, which are statutorily produced independent of political interference. The watchdog report notes that some decisions intended to save money were being reversed, "incurring additional costs to taxpayers."