Reuters Collected Over $1 Billion In Taxpayer Money As Federal Contracts Raise Questions

A review of federal spending data has revealed that Reuters News & Media secured more than $1.2 billion in government contracts since 2008, receiving payments from agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. The revelation has added to growing concerns about taxpayer money flowing into major media organizations.

Further complicating the matter is the $120 million in contracts awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, a separate entity affiliated with Reuters. The company has worked on projects for the Department of Defense, including a contract that referenced activities involving “social deception” and “social engineering.”

The contract went viral after Elon Musk shared details of it on social media, raising alarms about government funding directed at a media-linked entity for purposes seemingly unrelated to journalism. The post followed a Reuters article critical of DOGE, further fueling suspicions about government influence in media reporting.

At the same time, USAID has been exposed for funding controversial initiatives, including millions for diversity and gender programs in foreign nations. These expenditures included funding a DEI musical in Ireland, sex-change operations in Guatemala, and a comic book promoting transgender activism in Peru. Money has also been traced to projects in Afghanistan supporting poppy cultivation and heroin production.

With growing scrutiny over federal spending, Republican lawmakers have demanded investigations into these contracts. They argue that taxpayer money should not be used to finance media organizations that openly push narratives favorable to the government entities funding them.

As the Trump administration continues to expose financial mismanagement, the scale of government funding for media outlets is expected to be a central issue in ongoing budget debates.

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