With all eyes on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) amid the Trump administration’s scrutiny, a new scandal involving leftwing “news” media has been revealed.
Multiple reports Wednesday indicated that over eight million dollars from USAID was channeled into the left-leaning outlet Politico. The reports raised alarms about media independence and transparency as questions rained down about the influence such funding may have had on actual journalism.
Having been in the media business, I would wonder how many of these outlets are staying in business.
Now it makes perfect sense.
USAID funds to Politico 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/ChncqWwbNZ
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) February 5, 2025
Funding reportedly went to “subscriptions” for bureaucrats while there was also a special “pro” subscription that cost about $10k annually.
It is shocking but perhaps not surprising that the Biden/Harris administration used USAID, the agency whose purpose is to administer the funding of international aid, to fund a left wing media organization that attacked the administration’s opponents.
If this is not prima facie… https://t.co/9xjHLbImfu
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) February 5, 2025
Why did Politico take $8.1 million of the American people’s hard earned tax dollars through USAID???
This is like forced subscriptions to a hard left blog that they didn’t want.
Not good.
Not good at all. https://t.co/1A0s56Ogph
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 5, 2025
Details seemed to show that 37 of these “pro” subscriptions were funded by USAID at a cost of $443,998. Another one of the “outlays” showed $862,025.
This is odd https://t.co/iGi82JqhzG
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2025
Reportedly, none of the USAID payments were ever disclosed by Politico – a so-called news site that seemed to serve as a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party and played a role in the letter from “51 intelligence officials” who claimed the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian “disinformation.”
Guess which outlet the Biden campaign and intel officials solicited the laptop letter story to? https://t.co/hkV7BqXSsf pic.twitter.com/efzfLGYCVH
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 5, 2025
Perhaps by coincidence, but Politico seemed to encounter a payroll issue resulting in employees not getting paid.
Staff at Politico did not get paid for the latest pay period. The company just sent several emails to employees saying it believes there was a technical error, and is looking into how to fix the issue. pic.twitter.com/PYcWYdbrEC
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) February 4, 2025
Eyes on USAID led to other discoveries:
It’s not just Politico.https://t.co/fCGocTDtuX pic.twitter.com/deJIOXxg0s
— Jellenne 🇺🇸🌵🌞 (@jellen805) February 5, 2025
It’s not just Politico. The Associated Press has been raking in millions of dollars in government money for years.
The AP’s bias also makes perfect sense. pic.twitter.com/RrH5JPykvY
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) February 5, 2025
Needless to say, the revelation set Politico trending on social media where X users added more context, information and condemnation.
If you believe it costs $443,998 for just *37* subscriptions to Politico, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
This was just USAID laundering money to a left-wing news site to pay for positive coverage of the Biden administration. We all know it. No reason to even pretend otherwise.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) February 5, 2025
This is how Politico used our tax dollars. pic.twitter.com/ziL5bM7svo
— MAZE (@mazemoore) February 5, 2025
I want my money back, @politico : you stole from the overtaxed American people to push propaganda. Rage isn’t enough for this. You disgraceful bastards.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 5, 2025
Good Politico Morning !
Your Federal tax dollars used as revenue to underwrite hit pieces on OUR revenue. 🤡
Your tax dollars IN ->https://t.co/MNwKKkA0RJ
Their hit pieces OUT -> https://t.co/wYEXyzlhfq pic.twitter.com/dwwWtGgmRa
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) February 5, 2025
Politico received millions of taxpayer money from USAID?!?!
WE NEED A FEDERAL INCOME TAX FREEZE UNTIL THIS CRAP IS FIGURED OUT!!!
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) February 5, 2025
This is SHAMEFUL!! I get a check each month for Disability and it is meager. NO MORE MONEY!! They need to be THROWN IN JAIL!
THIS IS SHAMEFUL AND CORRUPT!!