USAID Funding To Politico Raises Questions Amid Payroll Disruptions

A growing controversy has emerged over claims that Politico received millions in taxpayer dollars from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with several journalists and commentators on X alleging that the publication relied on federal funds for its operations. The scrutiny intensified after Politico failed to pay employees on time, with the company citing a “technical issue” just days after President Donald Trump moved to cut USAID funding and place the agency under investigation.

Political commentator Liz Wheeler reported on X that Politico received not only $8 million from USAID but a total of $34.3 million from various government agencies. She claimed that “the money started flowing to Politico in 2015,” coinciding with Trump’s entrance into the political arena, and “skyrocketed under Biden.” Wheeler listed agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture, along with subagencies such as the FDA, EPA, and CDC, as entities that allegedly funneled funds to the publication.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticized the alleged funding, stating on X, “Why did Politico take $8.1 million of the American people’s hard-earned tax dollars through USAID??? This is like forced subscriptions to a hard-left blog that they didn’t want.” Other commentators, including Paul A. Szypula and Sara Rose, suggested that Politico’s missed payroll was directly linked to the loss of USAID funding, with Szypula stating, “Politico is reportedly going out of business now that all USAID has been halted.”

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

Further allegations of media funding surfaced, with journalist Breanna Morello claiming that USAID provided financial support not only to Politico but also to outlets like the New York Times and the BBC. According to David Procino, Politico reportedly received around $32 million, compared to $3.1 million for the New York Times and approximately $3.2 million for the BBC.

USAID funding came under renewed scrutiny after Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, seized control of the agency’s headquarters. DOGE reportedly took over financial networks and locked out over 600 employees, cutting off access to classified systems. The White House cited concerns over USAID’s spending, accusing it of diverting taxpayer dollars to political initiatives rather than humanitarian aid. Investigations have also raised questions about USAID’s alleged connections to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company tied to Hunter Biden.

Meanwhile, Politico staff received internal emails acknowledging the payroll disruption, with leadership attributing the issue to a “technical error.” However, critics on X have questioned the timing, pointing out that the payroll failure coincided with USAID’s funding freeze. Journalist David Harsanyi noted that Politico had frequently reported on USAID but “never disclosed it was being funded by it.”

As lawsuits and congressional inquiries into USAID’s financial practices continue, discussions have reportedly begun about potentially merging the agency into the State Department. The full extent of its funding to media organizations remains a developing issue.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR