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Politico Denies Benefiting from Government Programs Amid Funding Scrutiny
Politico leadership has firmly denied allegations that the organization is a “beneficiary of government programs”. These claims emerged following the circulation of reports that taxpayer funds contributed to the payment of its subscription services.
Internal Memo Addresses Funding Claims
In an internal memo obtained by Fox News Digital, Politico’s CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and editor-in-chief John Harris addressed concerns raised during discussions at the White House and among officials from the Department of Government Efficiency regarding government subscriptions for journalism products.
“As many of you saw today, there was a spirited discussion about government subscriptions for journalism products, including those at POLITICO and other news organizations,” the memo stated.
Emphasizing Independent Subscription Service Value
Sheikholeslami and Harris articulated that, “Politico has never been a beneficiary of government programs or subsidies—not one cent, ever, in 18 years.” They highlighted the value of their subscription service, Politico Pro, which provides clients with comprehensive reporting, real-time intelligence, and useful tracking tools across various policy areas.
“We are proud of the value our POLITICO Pro platform and policy journalism provides to all subscribers. A substantial majority of our POLITICO Pro subscriptions come from the private sector,” they added.
Commitment to Covering Significant Administrative Changes
The memo further elaborated on Politico’s commitment to covering the actions of the new administration, specifically referencing the ambitious goals of the new government to enact transformative policies. The leaders underscored their duty to report on important developments from all angles, which they described as urgent.
Government’s Plan to End Funding for Politico Subscriptions
During a recent press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that any government funding Politico had previously received is set to cease. This decision comes as President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to tighten spending.
Leavitt stated, “I can confirm that the more than $8 million taxpayer dollars that have been used to subsidize subscriptions to Politico will no longer take place.” She also mentioned that the DOGE team is currently working to cancel those payments.
Understanding the Source of Taxpayer Funds
Speculation on social media suggested that the $8 million in funding might primarily originate from USAID, a target for cuts by DOGE co-founder Elon Musk. However, it was clarified that only $44,000 of that amount came from USAID. Typically, subscription costs for Politico range between $12,000 and $15,000 for three users.
Taxpayer funding for Politico’s expensive subscription service reportedly stemmed from various federal sources. The Department of Health and Human Services accounted for the largest portion with $1.37 million, closely followed by $1.35 million from the Department of the Interior. Other significant contributors included the Department of Energy with $1.29 million, the Department of Agriculture with $552,024, and the Department of Commerce with $485,572.
A Shift in Subscription Funding Trends
Records indicate that while Politico did receive smaller funding amounts from government agencies under prior administrations, the financial support appeared to increase significantly during the Biden administration, according to data provided by USAspending.gov.
As this situation continues to evolve, the discourse surrounding government spending on journalism subscriptions remains a critical topic.
