Reuters News & Media has collected more than $1.2 billion in federal contracts since 2008, making it one of the largest media recipients of taxpayer funds, according to USASpending.gov. The revelation has renewed scrutiny over government payments to media organizations, with questions arising about Reuters’ relationship with federal agencies.
BREAKING:
Reuters received millions from the US government for orchestrating "large-scale social deception"#USAID #News pic.twitter.com/IS19vMtKxh
— Stand Tall n Roar (@standtallnroar) February 13, 2025
USAID Tax Dollars subsidized mainstream news outlets in America:
•POLITICO: $34.3M
•NY TIMES: $50M
•ASSOCIATED PRESS: $19.5M
•REUTERS: $9M
•$220,000 from the Department of State just last year.
•BBC: British Government TV received $3.3MAnother "conspiracy theory"… pic.twitter.com/rbecox45cH
— DonaldTrump1_ (@tyranny_stop) February 8, 2025
The contracts, spanning multiple administrations, came from a range of agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. Additional payments went to Reuters’ affiliate, Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, which has received $120 million since 2010, including a controversial contract with the Department of Defense.
USAID paid Reuters for "Large Scale Social Deception" and "Social Engineering Defence" between 2018 and 2022. DOGE just published the invoice from Reuter. Just sayin' … pic.twitter.com/vpEyAJc3gv
— AINIRO (@AIniroTeam) February 13, 2025
That DoD contract, which referenced “large scale social deception” and “social engineering,” gained attention after Elon Musk highlighted it on social media. Musk’s post came shortly after Reuters published a critical article on the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest between government-funded media and political agendas.
At the same time, USAID has been exposed for funding a string of controversial projects, including millions for diversity initiatives abroad, electric vehicles in Vietnam, and cultural programs such as a transgender opera in Colombia and a DEI musical in Ireland. Reports also indicate that taxpayer dollars were spent on efforts allegedly linked to terrorist organizations and drug cultivation in Afghanistan.
Republican lawmakers have called for investigations into government contracts with media outlets, arguing that taxpayer money should not be used to fund organizations that actively push political narratives. Meanwhile, DOGE has pledged to continue exposing financial waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.
As President Trump moves forward with efforts to eliminate wasteful spending, the extent of media funding from federal agencies is likely to remain a key focus in the administration’s broader push for accountability.
