White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that far-left news outlet Politico received millions of dollars in federal funding.
Early on the morning of February 5, it was reported that Politico had sent an email to its employees claiming that a “technical error” had occurred that prevented them from receiving their paychecks on time. Many commentators soon began joking that it must be a coincidence that the Trump administration’s suspending of USAID happened just before this supposed “error.”
It'd be funny if after USAID is shuttered tons of news outlets just go belly up https://t.co/LnrlxmZlaV
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) February 5, 2025
However, it was then revealed that these “jokes” may have been reality — as social media users soon began posting confirmation that Politico and other outlets like the New York Times were, in fact, being paid with taxpayer dollars via USAID.
We do indeed appear to be funneling large sums of tax money to @politico so that some bureaucrats can read left-wing journalists complain about Republicans https://t.co/sAhsJcJxoN pic.twitter.com/HDiBfZrj5U
— Sunny (@sunnyright) February 5, 2025
Later that afternoon, during a White House press briefing, Leavitt confirmed that these reports were accurate — revealing that over $8 million taxpayer dollars had been spent on Politico subscriptions, and vowing that the American people would no longer “essentially” subsidize this far-left outlet.
The press secretary’s remarks came in response to a question from Real America’s Voice chief White House correspondent Brian Glenn, who asked whether the White House would comment on the mainstream media outlets that “have been dragged” into the USAID funding conversation.
“So upon coming out here to the briefing room, I was made aware of the funding from USAID to media outlets, including Politico, who I know has a seat in this room,” Leavitt responded.
“I can confirm that the more than $8 million in taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers’ dime will no longer be happening,” she continued. “The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now. This is a whole government effort to assure that we are going line by line when it comes to the federal government’s books.”
White House just NUKED Politicos weird ass tax payer funded "subscriptions"
The Department of Energy has $400k in subscriptions for 172 people FOR ONE YEAR
Fucking Insane pic.twitter.com/Vp0BNJfxzf
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) February 5, 2025
The data has also been confirmed by Fox News, which reported that the U.S. government has sent at least $8.2 million to Politico in recent years, with only $44,000 of those dollars coming from USAID.
YouTube host Tim Pool outlined the spending in a video:
“Start a news organization, give a wink wink to the government…”
Tim Pool reveals how much taxpayer dollars are being used by the government to buy subscriptions to outlets like Politico and NPR. pic.twitter.com/uph2UY7j8a
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) February 5, 2025
