In a recent briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that over $8 million in taxpayer funds previously allocated to Politico for subscriptions will no longer be issued. This decision is part of the Trump administration's broader effort to reduce federal spending. Right-wing commentators have been criticizing Politico, falsely linking its funding to a recent payroll issue. While Politico did receive $8.2 million from various government agencies, only $44,000 came from USAID. The government regularly pays for subscriptions to media outlets, and the recent scrutiny aims to spotlight perceived wasteful expenditures.