White House Cuts Politico Pro Subs Over Funding Claim

• Elon Musk’s DOGE team is working to cancel $8M in federal subscriptions to Politico Pro.
• The move follows claims linking Politico’s payroll issues to USAID funding.
• The White House supports the cancellation, citing concerns over taxpayer dollars.

The White House announced Wednesday that it will cancel all federal agency subscriptions to Politico Pro. This announcement follows claims suggesting the news outlet received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Official Rationale and Spending Records

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated during a briefing that taxpayer dollars will no longer be used to “subsidize” Politico. Yet, official spending records show the payments were for valid subscriptions purchased by various federal agencies, not direct government funding.

The controversy began when Kyle Becker, a public commentator, linked a temporary payroll issue at Politico to USAID funding. His claim was picked up by right-wing figures, including Benny Johnson, Charlie Kirk, and Dana Loesch, who called for protests at Politico’s offices.

Related: Trump’s D.O.G.E. Initiative Cuts DEI Spending, Saves Over $1 Billion

Investigative Report and Clarification

Investigative reporter Byron Tau (AP) debunked the claim, explaining that government agencies subscribe to Politico Pro for its specialized reporting. Data from USASpending.gov confirms that last year’s $8.2 million payment came from multiple agencies, not just USAID.

“This is occurring because agencies are buying subscriptions to Politico’s Pro editorial product, not because Politico is getting grants or other federal funding,” Tau clarified.

Musk and The White House React

Billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), called the spending “a huge waste of taxpayer money” in a post on X. The D.OGE team is now working to cancel all outstanding Politico subscription payments.

Related: D.O.G.E. is a Lifetime Opportunity For Economic Reform – Coinbase CEO

Politico Responds to Allegations

Politico’s leadership, Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris issued a memo rejecting the allegations. “Politico has never been a beneficiary of government programs or subsidies—not one cent, ever, in 18 years,” the statement read. They stated that government agencies subscribe just as private corporations do.

This is not the first time a presidential administration has moved against media subscriptions. In 2019, the Trump administration urged agencies to cancel subscriptions to The Washington Post and The New York Times. 

As the controversy unfolds, crypto community members are closely watching the developments, especially with Elon Musk’s DOGE team involved.

Lucie, a core team member of Shiba Inu, humorously tagged Netflix in a tweet, saying, “I already want the movie.” Her comment suggests the ongoing drama has the potential to become a political thriller fit for the big screen.

Meanwhile, an X user, Altcoin Mage, linked the news to DOGE meme culture, tweeting, “Just when you thought Washington was boring, DOGE drops a news bombshell.”