USAID’s Role In Politico’s Finances Questioned After Payroll Failure

Politico’s inability to pay its employees on time has raised questions about its financial dependence on USAID. According to several journalists on X, the outlet had been receiving taxpayer funds for years, and its payroll problems coincided with President Donald Trump’s decision to cut USAID funding and launch an audit of the agency’s spending.

Liz Wheeler shared on X that Politico received not just $8 million from USAID, but a total of $34.3 million from federal agencies. She claimed that payments to the outlet began in 2015, the same year Trump entered the political arena, and surged under Biden. Wheeler identified agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture as contributors to Politico’s funding.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed outrage over the reported funding, stating on X that taxpayer dollars were being used to subsidize a left-wing news outlet. Others, including Paul A. Szypula and Sara Rose, noted the timing of Politico’s payroll issue, suggesting it was a direct result of USAID funding being cut off. Szypula speculated that Politico may not be able to sustain operations without government support.

https://twitter.com/davidharsanyi/status/1887141357409505673

Journalist Breanna Morello claimed that Politico was not the only outlet receiving USAID money, stating that the New York Times and BBC were also beneficiaries. According to data shared by David Procino, Politico reportedly took in $32 million, while the New York Times and BBC received $3.1 million and $3.2 million respectively.

These revelations follow a major shake-up at USAID, where Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk’s leadership, seized control of the agency’s headquarters. Reports indicate that more than 600 employees lost access to their systems overnight, and USAID’s financial operations were taken over. The White House accused the agency of misusing funds for political purposes, with some reports linking USAID funding to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company tied to Hunter Biden.

Politico leadership told employees that payroll disruptions were due to a “technical error,” but critics have questioned the explanation. Journalist David Harsanyi pointed out that Politico regularly covered USAID but never disclosed that it was being funded by the agency. With scrutiny increasing, there are growing calls for investigations into USAID’s financial activities and whether other media organizations also benefited from taxpayer money.

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