FEderal government payments to newslets such as Politico, New York TimesAnd associated press for subscriptions or for license content is in the Cross chairs for Trump administration that spends hawks, with the president on Thursday who potentially calls it “the biggest scandal of them all.”

It is the latest in a series of accidents with the media, long a goal for Donald Trump and his followers. The Ministry of Defense Last week ejected NPR, NBC, Timesand politico from their pentagon workspaces, and Trump has continued to criticize CBS ‘ 60 minutes For his handling of an interview with former opponent Kamala Harris last fall. Free Press advocates are also worried about Trump’s plans for the Media Outlet Voice of America, whose charter guarantees its editorial freedom.

This time, however, is a little different. By linking the federal government’s expenditure to the media, Trump has collected two of his long-favored political goals to a rhetorical package-deaths an ordinary practice as unpleasant while not offering any supportive evidence for his claims.

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the government had paid more than $ 8 million for Politico subscriptions and that Elon Musk’s government efficiency team “is working to cancel these payments.” It quickly started a social-media-Maelström and a hunt by Online-Sleuths for other evidence of taxpayers’ expenses for the news.

“The US government must stop paying for media subscriptions. Immediately, “Richard Grenell, Trump’s special mission envoy, Published on X..

Trump, On his truth social platformcomplained about payments to “fake news media” to create good stories about Democrats. “Did the New York Times get money ??? Who did more ??? This may be the biggest scandal of them all, ”he wrote.

And at a national prayer breakfast at Capitol on Thursday morning, Trump proclaimed efforts to investigate media spending. “We catch them left and right,” Trump said. “We catch them. We catch them to a point where they don’t know what the hell is going on. They can’t believe they get stuck. “

Governments that pay for news venues are common

Politico, in one statement to the readers From CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and editor -in -chief John Harris, Thursday said it will not receive a state subsidy.

“It’s a transaction – just when the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports,” they said. “Some votes online consciously spread falsehoods. Let’s be clear: Politico has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and politics – this is our job. “

It has not been uncommon for governments, federal and state, to subscribe to large media to keep up with important or strategic issues. For example, the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be due to international news reporting for clarity for incidents that take place in countries where the United States has interests. Specialists in an agency such as the Ministry of Transport follow trade publications for industry trends.

The Politico Pro service helps government and private customers “track politics, legislation and real -time regulations with news, intelligence and a series of data products”, the company says. It would not discuss how many subscriptions they have sold or prices.

The New York Times mentioned It earned less than $ 2 million last year through state subscriptions, which are offered at a discounted interest rate. Through an arrangement, Times gives access to more than 1 million active and retired military members and their families.

“These officials and other public employees simply try to understand the world through our independent journalism, such as millions of other Americans,” said spokesman Charlie Stadtlander.

Elon Musk’s voice is also in the mix

Musk, also an often critic of the mainstream media and the owner of a platform that in many ways competes with it, retweeted a message on X that complained about the AP “shaved in millions of dollars in government money for several years.”

“Not so long,“ Musk Added. “This is obviously a huge waste of taxpayers’ money.”

AP -tale woman Lauren Easton said that “The US government has long been AP customer -through both democratic and Republican administrations. It licenses AP’s non -party journalism, just like thousands of news venues and customers around the world. It is quite common for governments to have contracts with news organizations for their content. “

The outlet would not reveal how much it earns in federal government contracts.

Separately, Musk’s focus on the USAID Agency has threatened about $ 268 million in Congress’s authorized funding aimed at offering education and support to approximately 6,200 independent journalists working around the world, including in war-fired Ukraine, the organization’s reporters said without borders.

Denying the money “will create a vacuum that plays in the hands of propagandists and authoritarian states,” says Clayton Weimers, CEO of reporters without Borders US branch.