Former President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk clash with Reuters over a $9.15 million Pentagon contract.
According to the Daily Mail, Trump has called for the return of millions paid to Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC for a "social engineering defense" project that concluded in 2022.
The contract, which began in September 2018 during Trump's presidency, was designated for research and development under the Pentagon's Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services programs. Trump's demand follows the discovery of the contract by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, raising concerns about the connection between the government and the media company.
The $9.15 million award to Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC (TRSS) was specifically allocated for Active Social Engineering Defense (ASED) and Large Scale Social Deception (LSD) programs.
The subsidiary company operates as a government relations service provider under the same parent corporation as the Reuters news agency. The contract's purpose centered on developing defenses against internet attacks and enhancing U.S. cybersecurity through systems designed to detect and counter threats exploiting human psychology.
Trump expressed his disapproval on Truth Social, where he wrote:
DOGE: Looks like Radical Left Reuters was paid $9,000,000 by the Department of Defense to study 'large scale social deception.' GIVE BACK THE MONEY, NOW!
TRSS secured the contract due to their expertise in risk management and fraud detection, skills deemed essential for strengthening national cybersecurity measures. Part of the funding allocated after 2020 was connected to COVID-19 response efforts through the Disaster Emergency Fund Code.
The Reuters contract controversy emerges amid broader scrutiny of government spending by Trump's administration. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently ordered the recovery of $59 million from FEMA payments made to New York City hotels housing illegal migrants. The directive resulted in the termination of four top FEMA finance officers who authorized the expenditure against Trump's orders.
Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been actively reviewing and cutting various contracts, including nearly $1 billion at the Education Department and millions at the National Institutes of Health. However, critics have pointed out that Musk's own company, SpaceX, received a $38 million contract from NASA this week.
The situation draws parallels to recent controversies involving other media organizations receiving government funds. Politico faced similar criticism after receiving $8 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development for its subscription service, Politico Pro, though the platform primarily serves as a policy intelligence tool rather than a news service.
Trump's demand for Reuters to return the Pentagon funding represents another chapter in the ongoing debate over government contracts with media-affiliated organizations.
The Department of Government Efficiency plans to publish detailed records of their cost-cutting measures, while questions persist about the relationship between government agencies and media companies.
The controversy surrounding the Reuters contract highlights the complex intersection of government spending, media organizations, and national security interests. As Trump and Musk continue their scrutiny of federal contracts, the outcome of this situation could influence future government dealings with media-affiliated companies and shape policies regarding transparency in government spending.
