Trump repeats rightwing claim that USAid subscriptions to Politico were ‘payoffs’ As Elon Musk dismantles the agency, Trump claims subscription fees to the outlet could be ‘biggest scandal of them all’.
Donald Trump has amplified a viral rightwing claim that media outlets, particularly Politico, were getting large payments from USAid, the foreign aid agency that his government is trying to shut down.
In an internal note from Politico leaders to staff shared with the Guardian, the Politico Media Group CEO, Goli Sheikholeslami, and Politico’s global editor-in-chief, John Harris, sought to correct the record on the “spirited discussion” about the payments.
Accounts on X used a government spending website to grab screenshots of payments and imply, or outright state, that payments the whole federal government made to the news agency for subscriptions over many years were from just USAid.
With ongoing efforts by Elon Musk and the “department of government efficiency” to shutter USAid, a false claim has gained traction on social media that Politico has received $8m from the foreign aid group.
