The Free Speech Ideologue Taking on Europe

Sarah Rogers, the U.S. State Department's public diplomacy section leader, is known for her undiplomatic approach to free speech activism. During a congressional hearing in March, she criticized the Biden administration for seeking to create "more gay" maps, a statement that highlighted her commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In December, she tweeted that a "civilizational death drive stalks Europe," and in January, she called the Cologne sex attackers "barbarian rapist hordes," a provocative statement aimed at challenging German law on similar speech regulations. Rogers is not one to back down from controversy, and her provocative online persona has earned her a degree of fame rarely seen among her predecessors.

She targets America's Western European allies, aligning with a Trump administration policy to reshape Europe in the image of MAGA. As undersecretary for public diplomacy, Rogers oversees a $1 billion budget aimed at influencing foreign citizens through advertising campaigns, scholarships, and more. She is also a leading contender to become the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

Rogers's journey to her current role is rooted in her legal background and activism. A Dartmouth and Columbia Law School graduate, she previously worked as an in-house counsel for tobacco giant Philip Morris before joining a law firm that won a landmark case defending the NRA. Transitioning from a high-pressure legal career to government bureaucracy, Rogers is described as intelligent, articulate, and driven.

Her free speech activism stems from her experiences on internet forums, where she found objectionable content while being wary of the consequences of having her online activity subpoenaed.