Reuters Collected Over $1 Billion In Federal Contracts While Taxpayer Money Flowed To Media Giants

Spending records show that Reuters News & Media has received more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer-funded contracts since 2008, raising questions about how federal agencies allocate funding to media organizations. The payments came from multiple government departments, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Treasury Department.

An affiliated firm, Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, has also been awarded $120 million since 2010. One of its contracts with the Department of Defense contained language referencing “large scale social deception” and “social engineering,” leading to scrutiny over the nature of the services provided.

The contract drew wider attention after Elon Musk highlighted it on social media, questioning why Reuters was receiving money for activities unrelated to journalism. His post came shortly after Reuters published a report critical of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), adding to speculation about its financial relationship with the federal government.

Meanwhile, USAID spending records have come under fire, revealing taxpayer money was used for projects such as a transgender opera in Colombia, DEI initiatives in Serbia, and even electric vehicle programs in Vietnam. Additionally, funding has been linked to supporting Afghan poppy farming, fueling heroin production controlled by the Taliban.

The Trump administration has made clear that eliminating wasteful spending is a priority. With media outlets receiving large sums of taxpayer money, concerns about government influence over reporting have only grown.

Lawmakers are now calling for greater oversight into federal contracts awarded to news organizations, questioning whether taxpayer dollars should be used to fund media companies with clear political leanings.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR