President Donald Trump is calling for Reuters to return millions in taxpayer dollars after it was revealed that the media company’s parent organization received a Department of Defense contract related to social deception research. The funding, uncovered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has fueled new concerns about media-government ties.
The contract, awarded in 2018 and running through 2022, was given to Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) to conduct research under a Pentagon initiative focusing on social deception and cybersecurity threats. The discovery has drawn criticism from Trump and Musk, who argue that media-affiliated entities should not be receiving government funds for research of this nature.
Trump took to Truth Social, writing: “DOGE: Looks like Radical Left Reuters was paid $9,000,000 by the Department of Defense to study ‘large scale social deception.’ GIVE BACK THE MONEY, NOW!”
Musk also weighed in on X, posting that the contract was explicitly labeled for social deception research, fueling suspicions about its intent. However, TRSS has defended the contract, stating that its work is focused on fraud prevention and cybersecurity, not media influence.
The controversy comes amid a broader push by Trump’s administration to cut government waste, a departure from how similar contracts were handled under former President Joe Biden. DOGE has indicated that further investigations into questionable government spending will follow.
