Photo: Alamy
President Trump is demanding news organizations return taxpayer money. In light of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) findings that media organizations were on the receiving end of government funds, Trump shared his outrage on Truth Social and demanded the return of the money and the establishment of a fair and honest media.
Trump first took aim at Politico for being a recipient of government funding, as revealed by the DOGE investigation led by Elon Musk.
“DOGE: Why was Politico paid Millions of Dollars for NOTHING. Buying the press??? PAY BACK THE MONEY TO THE TAXPAYERS!” Trump said.
The President went on to question which other outlets may be receiving government funding, and to point out the conflict of interest with the government supporting legacy media institutions.
“How much has the Failing New York Times paid? Is this the money that is keeping it open??? THEY ARE BUYING THE PRESS!” Trump said.
Trump’s comments referenced the expenditure by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on tax-payer-funded federal subscriptions to Politico. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed last week that these payments, along with others that did not further the interests of the American people, would not continue under the Trump administration.
Trump went on to criticize Reuters for receiving similar funding from the Department of Defense.
“DOGE: Looks like Radical Left Reuters was paid $9,000,000 by the Department of Defense to study “large scale social deception.” GIVE BACK THE MONEY, NOW!”
Elon Musk shared an X post on Wednesday highlighting the payments made to Reuters.
“Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for ‘large scale social deception’. That is literally what it says on the purchase order! They’re a total scam. Just wow,” Musk wrote.
Musk responded to Trump’s outrage over the expense by noting that this was not the only government funding organizations connected to Reuters that had received.
“Reuters received far more money than this from US government organizations, but via various subsidiaries and intermediaries to hide how they were getting it,” Musk said.
