Allegations Of USAID Funding Politico Surface Amid Payroll Issues

Politico’s recent payroll failure has led to speculation that the media outlet was relying on USAID funding, which was recently cut following an order from President Donald Trump. Several journalists on X have pointed to reports suggesting Politico received millions in taxpayer money, raising concerns about the government’s role in funding media organizations.

Liz Wheeler reported that Politico took in at least $34.3 million from multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. She noted that the funding started in 2015, the same year Trump entered politics, and surged under Biden. Wheeler suggested that this financial support may have influenced Politico’s coverage of key political issues.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticized the funding, questioning why taxpayer dollars were funneled into a left-leaning news outlet. Other commentators, including Paul A. Szypula and Sara Rose, pointed out that Politico’s payroll issues came just days after USAID funding was frozen. Szypula suggested that without government money, Politico could struggle to continue operations.

https://twitter.com/davidharsanyi/status/1887141357409505673

Journalist Breanna Morello alleged that USAID also provided funding to other media organizations, including the New York Times and BBC. According to figures shared by David Procino, Politico received around $32 million, while the New York Times and BBC took in $3.1 million and $3.2 million respectively.

The controversy follows a shake-up at USAID, where Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk’s leadership, took control of the agency. Reports indicated that more than 600 employees were locked out and that USAID’s financial networks were taken over. The White House accused USAID of diverting taxpayer money toward political projects, with some reports tying the agency’s financial dealings to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company linked to Hunter Biden.

Politico management told employees that payroll issues were due to a “technical error,” but many remain skeptical. Journalist David Harsanyi noted that Politico frequently covered USAID without disclosing that it had received funding from the agency. As scrutiny of USAID’s media funding increases, further investigations may uncover additional taxpayer-supported outlets.

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