The White House announced the cancellation of Politico subscriptions purchased by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) using taxpayer funds. The decision follows an investigation by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which found that Politico received nearly $8.4 million in government subsidies annually.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that federal agencies are terminating contracts with Politico, deeming them a wasteful use of taxpayer money. The administration is reviewing government spending based on two criteria: whether it serves the interests of the American people and whether it represents a good use of taxpayer funds.
Musk, who leads DOGE, criticized the subscriptions on X, stating they were not an efficient use of taxpayer funds. He hinted that the government may consider cutting subscriptions to other news outlets, warning that "many media outlets are going to experience a mysterious drop in revenue."