The White House announced it will cancel $8 million in Politico subscriptions after a right-wing conspiracy theory falsely suggested the news outlet received USAID funding. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, addressing the claim during a press briefing, stated that taxpayer dollars would no longer be used to “subsidize” Politico subscriptions.
The false claim, initially spread by conservative commentator Kyle Becker, linked a recent payroll issue at Politico to federal spending records showing $8.2 million in payments. However, these funds were not grants but government agencies purchasing Politico Pro subscriptions, a premium service also used by private corporations.
Investigative reporter Byron Tau clarified that multiple agencies, not just USAID, subscribe to Politico Pro. Politico’s leadership firmly denied receiving any government subsidies, emphasizing that their journalism’s value is evident through high subscription renewal rates.
Despite this, the conspiracy gained traction among right-wing media figures, including Elon Musk, who criticized the spending as “a huge waste of taxpayer money.” The Associated Press, which faced similar claims, stated that government agencies have long licensed its journalism, as do organizations worldwide.
This move echoes a 2019 decision by the Trump administration to urge federal agencies to cancel subscriptions to The Washington Post and The New York Times. It remains unclear how many agencies will follow through on canceling Politico subscriptions.
