Auditors Decline to Opine on Agency Overseeing Voice of America

Report cites 'material and pervasive' lack of cooperation from Trump-appointed leadership.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A new audit report says the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, failed to provide required financial information, leading auditors to decline to express an opinion on the agency's numbers. The report comes amid turmoil at the agency under Trump-appointed leader Kari Lake, who has sought to shutter VOA and other U.S. government-funded news outlets.

Why it matters

The audit failure raises concerns about the financial management and transparency of the agency overseeing major U.S. international broadcasters like Voice of America, which provide news to countries with limited press freedoms. It also highlights the ongoing political battles over the role of these news outlets under the Trump-allied leadership.

The details

The audit report by Kearney and Company said the agency's omission of documents was so 'material and pervasive' that the firm declined to express an opinion on the agency's 2025 financial numbers. This type of 'disclaimed opinion' often signals management has limited auditors' work. The report comes after nearly all 1,400 VOA journalists were laid off last year under Kari Lake's leadership, before a judge ruled her appointment was invalid.

  • The audit report is dated February 27, 2026.
  • The agency had received clean audits for 20 consecutive years until 2024.
  • Kari Lake was named to lead the agency by President Trump.

The players

Kari Lake

A Trump ally who was named to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, overseeing Voice of America, and sought to shut down the federally funded news outlets.

Kearney and Company

The independent accounting firm that conducted the audit and declined to express an opinion on the agency's finances.

Grant Turner

A former chief executive at the U.S. Agency for Global Media during Trump's first term, who called the audit report's findings 'criminality.'

Voice of America

The U.S. government-funded international broadcaster that was targeted for closure under Kari Lake's leadership.

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What they’re saying

“This is not just incompetence — it is criminality.”

— Grant Turner, Former CEO, U.S. Agency for Global Media (New York Times)

“Judicial overreach is the only roadblock here.”

— Kari Lake (New York Times)

What’s next

A judge ruled last week that Kari Lake's appointment as acting head of the agency was invalid and illegal, effectively voiding the layoffs, funding cuts and contract terminations she had implemented. Lake has said she will appeal the ruling.

The takeaway

The audit failure raises serious questions about the financial management and transparency of the agency overseeing major U.S. international broadcasters like Voice of America, underscoring the ongoing political battles over the role of these news outlets under Trump-allied leadership.