According to multiple journalists and investigators on X, Politico has been secretly receiving millions in taxpayer funds through USAID and other federal agencies. This revelation follows Politico’s recent payroll failure, which they blamed on a “technical issue.” However, many are questioning whether the loss of USAID funding is the real cause.

Journalist Liz Wheeler posted on X that Politico had received not just $8 million, but $34.3 million from various federal agencies, including USAID, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture. She noted that these payments began in 2015—the same year Donald Trump launched his first presidential campaign—and increased dramatically under the Biden administration.

“Politico was so thoroughly subsidized by the U.S. federal government that yesterday they missed payroll, claiming it was a technical glitch—but do you believe them?” Wheeler wrote. She also pointed out that agencies like the FDA, EPA, and CDC had contributed to Politico’s funding, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in its reporting.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) also weighed in, calling out the payments to Politico and comparing them to a “forced subscription” to a left-wing publication that Americans never agreed to fund. “This is like forced subscriptions to a hard left blog that they didn’t want. Not good. Not good at all,” she said.

Other journalists noted that Politico was not the only outlet receiving USAID funds. Breanna Morello reported that the New York Times and BBC had also received taxpayer money through the agency. According to David Procino, the New York Times received $3.1 million, Politico was given $32 million, and the BBC took in approximately $3.2 million.

USAID’s funding has been frozen following President Donald Trump’s move to shut down the agency and audit its spending through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This action, led by Elon Musk, has already resulted in USAID officials being locked out of their own headquarters, with access to classified financial systems revoked.1