Reuters News & Media has collected more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer-funded contracts since 2008, a revelation that raises serious concerns about federal agencies funneling money to media organizations. According to USASpending.gov, these payments have come from multiple government departments, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Adding to the controversy, Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, a related firm, has secured $120 million in federal contracts since 2010. A contract between the firm and the Department of Defense (DoD) has attracted particular scrutiny after being flagged for containing references to “large scale social deception” and “social engineering.”
BREAKING:
Reuters received millions from the US government for orchestrating "large-scale social deception"#USAID #News pic.twitter.com/IS19vMtKxh
— Stand Tall n Roar (@standtallnroar) February 13, 2025
Elon Musk brought national attention to the issue by posting about it on social media, questioning why a media-linked entity would receive funding for such activities. His post followed a Reuters article critical of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), further fueling speculation about media-government ties.
USAID Tax Dollars subsidized mainstream news outlets in America:
•POLITICO: $34.3M
•NY TIMES: $50M
•ASSOCIATED PRESS: $19.5M
•REUTERS: $9M
•$220,000 from the Department of State just last year.
•BBC: British Government TV received $3.3MAnother "conspiracy theory"… pic.twitter.com/rbecox45cH
— DonaldTrump1_ (@tyranny_stop) February 8, 2025
The concerns over taxpayer-funded media contracts come as USAID has been exposed for its wasteful spending. Reports indicate that the agency used U.S. funds for projects such as a DEI musical in Ireland, gender activism programs in Guatemala, and even electric vehicle purchases for Vietnam. Additional reports show that USAID money has been linked to projects supporting poppy farming in Afghanistan, directly benefiting the Taliban.
USAID paid Reuters for "Large Scale Social Deception" and "Social Engineering Defence" between 2018 and 2022. DOGE just published the invoice from Reuter. Just sayin' … pic.twitter.com/vpEyAJc3gv
— AINIRO (@AIniroTeam) February 13, 2025
As scrutiny over federal spending intensifies, congressional lawmakers are calling for a deeper examination of taxpayer money being directed toward media organizations. They argue that such funding raises ethical questions about press independence and government influence.
While government agencies have yet to respond to growing demands for transparency, records show that Reuters is just one of several major media outlets receiving taxpayer dollars.
