Servet Gunerigok
06 February 2025•Update: 07 February 2025
WASHINGTON
US President Donald Trump took aim at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday with a claim that billions of dollars have been stolen at the agency.
"Looks like billions of dollars have been stolen at USAID, and other agencies, much of it going to the fake news media as 'payoff' for creating good stories about the Democrats," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"The left wing 'Rag,' known as 'Politico,' seems to have received $8,000,000. Did the New York Times receive money??? Who else did???" said Trump.
His post came amid a debate about media organizations receiving government funding that has intensified after tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk criticized certain outlets for allegedly receiving payments from federal institutions.
Musk, appointed by Trump to oversee government efficiency, took to X to comment on federal budget spending, claiming that the administration of former President Joe Biden had provided funding to select media organizations.
Musk specifically pointed to payments made through agencies such as the USAID.
"This could be the biggest scandal of them all, perhaps the biggest in history! The Democrats can't hide from this one. Too big, too dirty," Trump wrote.
On Wednesday, Musk shared a post showing Politico had received $8.1 million from USAID and in another post he said: "Not an efficient use of taxpayer funds. This wasteful expenditure will be deleted."
During her news conference, when asked about the payment to media outlets, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said she was just made aware of the funding from USAID to media outlets, including Politico.
"I can confirm that the more than 8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers' dime will no longer be happening. The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now," she said.
