Politico’s Payroll Issues Raise Questions About USAID’s Alleged Funding

Politico’s recent failure to pay employees on time has sparked debate over whether the media outlet had been financially propped up by USAID. Several commentators on X have pointed to reports that taxpayer dollars were being used to support Politico, with the sudden payroll issue occurring just after President Donald Trump halted USAID funding and ordered an audit of the agency’s operations.

Journalist Liz Wheeler shared on X that Politico had received far more federal money than previously believed, estimating that the outlet took in $34.3 million from multiple government agencies. She noted that these payments began in 2015, the same year Trump entered the political scene, and increased under Biden. Wheeler named the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education as some of the agencies that allegedly sent funds to Politico.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) also weighed in, questioning why taxpayer dollars were used to support a left-wing media outlet. Other commentators, including Paul A. Szypula and Sara Rose, noted that Politico’s payroll failure happened just after USAID’s funding was cut off. Szypula suggested that Politico might struggle to keep operating without these funds.

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

Journalist Breanna Morello alleged that USAID had also funded other media organizations, including the New York Times and BBC. According to a breakdown from David Procino, Politico reportedly received $32 million, while the New York Times and BBC took in $3.1 million and $3.2 million respectively.

This controversy follows a major shift at USAID, where Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk’s leadership, took control of the agency. Reports indicate that over 600 employees lost access to their systems overnight and that USAID’s financial networks were seized. The White House stated that USAID had been diverting taxpayer money toward political initiatives rather than humanitarian efforts, with reports also tying the agency’s spending to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company linked to Hunter Biden.

Politico management told employees that the payroll issue was a “technical error,” but skepticism remains. Journalist David Harsanyi noted that Politico had covered USAID for years without disclosing that it was receiving funds from the agency. As scrutiny increases, further investigations could reveal additional media organizations that benefited from taxpayer dollars.

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