Over the past 15 years, Reuters News & Media has received more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer-funded contracts from various federal agencies, according to data from USASpending.gov. The revelation, brought to light by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has intensified scrutiny over government funding for major media organizations.
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 taxpayer-funded payments came from agencies including the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest between the press and the government. Other major outlets, including The Associated Press, The New York Times, and Politico, have also received millions in taxpayer dollars.
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
A separate entity, Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, an affiliate of Reuters, has taken in an additional $120 million since 2010. One particular contract with the Department of Defense has drawn widespread attention after Elon Musk amplified concerns over its language, which reportedly referenced “social deception” and “social engineering.” Musk’s post followed a Reuters article critical of DOGE, leading to further speculation about the nature of its government contracts.
At the same time, USAID has come under fire for directing taxpayer money toward highly questionable initiatives. Reports show the agency allocated funds to projects such as a transgender opera in Colombia, DEI programs in Serbia, and electric vehicles for Vietnam. The spending also extended to initiatives allegedly benefiting terrorist organizations, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, and contraceptive distribution in developing nations.
The Biden administration has been accused of using government agencies to fund left-wing causes, with USAID among the most criticized. Congressional Republicans have called for increased oversight of taxpayer-funded media contracts and foreign aid expenditures.
President Trump has vowed to root out corruption and misuse of public funds, with DOGE continuing to expose spending practices that have largely remained hidden from public scrutiny.
