The White House has terminated government subscriptions to Politico following allegations of misuse of state funds.
President Trump alleges billions of taxpayer dollars were misappropriated from USAID to fund favorable media coverage of Democrats. This announcement coincides with the White House’s decision to end what it terms “subsidies” to Politico.
In January, the Trump administration implemented sweeping changes to USAID, including a near-complete freeze on foreign aid, aligning with the “America First” agenda.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, warned of an impending “biggest scandal in history” after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged government funding of Politico and other media outlets’ subscriptions.
Leavitt’s statement referred to Politico Pro, a premium subscription service utilized by numerous government agencies, with annual costs reaching $10,000.
”It appears billions of dollars have been stolen from USAID and other agencies, much of it funneled to the fake news media as payment for positive stories about Democrats. Politico, a left-leaning publication, seems to have received $8,000,000,” Trump wrote.
He questioned whether similar payments were made to The New York Times and other news organizations.
Politico denied receiving government subsidies or programs, stating the vast majority of its subscriptions originate from the private sector.
Some online conservative commentators asserted that Politico, The New York Times, and the Associated Press received “government funding” or “grants” from USAID and other agencies. Kyle Becker, a former Fox News producer, reviewed USAspending.gov data and found $8.2 million in government payments to Politico over the past year. However, only approximately $24,000 originated from USAID, with the Department of Health and Human Services being the largest contributor.
Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, labeled the payments “a colossal waste of taxpayer money.”
“Many news outlets will soon experience a sudden revenue decline,” he predicted on X on Wednesday.
The implicated news organizations denied receiving government subsidies, explaining that agencies purchased subscriptions like any other client, maintaining their editorial independence.
CNN dismissed the accusations as “a false right-wing conspiracy theory,” criticizing Leavitt for promoting a “bogus claim.”
The USAID funding freeze resulted in the suspension of numerous senior officials, contractor layoffs, and the cessation of various international aid programs. Legal experts have raised concerns about the legality of dismantling USAID without congressional approval. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assumed the acting administrator role, with plans to integrate USAID into the State Department. Elon Musk condemned the agency as a “criminal enterprise” slated for “dissolution.”