Sarah B. Rogers, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, is facing questions regarding a Mediterranean vacation she took last November, which was fully funded by Stripe co-founder and Irish billionaire Patrick Collison. The trip occurred just one month after Rogers was sworn into her position.
Details of the Excursion
According to financial disclosures obtained by The Washington Post, the trip was valued at $11,900. Rogers, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in March to lead the agency overseeing Voice of America, traveled via Collison’s private plane to visit historical sites in Egypt, Greece, and Georgia. The group included economist Tyler Cowen, and Collison’s spokesperson confirmed that no business meetings took place during the excursion.
Rogers defended the acceptance of the gift by citing a pre-existing friendship with Collison that predates her government service. Federal regulations generally permit officials to accept gifts motivated by personal relationships; however, ethics experts suggest the situation occupies a "gray area." Scott Amey of the Project on Government Oversight noted that while the gift may be technically permissible, avoiding such arrangements is considered best practice to prevent the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Departmental Response and Context
The State Department stated that Rogers properly disclosed the trip, which was reportedly planned prior to her confirmation. Officials emphasized that she has never worked on government matters involving Stripe. Despite this, public records show Rogers has interacted with Collison’s social media accounts from her official government profile, including reposting his content.
The disclosure arrives during a period of heightened scrutiny regarding ethics at the State Department. The agency is currently managing the fallout from the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former ambassador to Greece, who faced allegations of soliciting funds from a donor to cover personal debts. Following that incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a department-wide memo urging staff to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
