By Burnett Munthali
U.S. President Donald Trump has made explosive allegations against the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other government agencies, claiming that billions of dollars have been stolen. In a fiery post on his Truth Social account at 6:47 AM EST on February 6, 2025, Trump accused the Democratic Party of orchestrating a massive corruption scheme, suggesting that taxpayer money was funneled into media organizations as a form of political payoff.
Trump specifically named Politico, a well-known political news outlet, claiming it had received $8 million as part of the alleged scheme. He also questioned whether The New York Times had been a beneficiary of these funds and hinted that other media organizations could have been involved. Calling it “the biggest scandal of them all,” Trump insisted that the Democrats would not be able to escape accountability, branding the situation as “too big, too dirty.”
The post, written in Trump’s characteristic all-caps style, has already sparked intense debate across political circles. His supporters see it as further proof of what they believe to be widespread corruption within the Biden administration and the mainstream media, while his critics dismiss it as another baseless conspiracy theory aimed at discrediting the press and government institutions.
Despite the gravity of Trump’s claims, he did not provide evidence to support his allegations. There has been no official response from USAID, Politico, or The New York Times at the time of writing. However, this accusation comes amid heightened scrutiny of government spending and renewed Republican efforts to investigate financial irregularities within federal agencies.
Trump’s statement also aligns with his long-standing attacks on the mainstream media, which he frequently refers to as “fake news.” Throughout his political career, he has accused major news outlets of bias against him and his policies, often alleging collusion between the press and the Democratic Party. This latest claim takes those accusations a step further by suggesting direct financial transactions between the government and media organizations to influence public perception.
The former president’s remarks are likely to fuel Republican-led congressional investigations into alleged corruption within federal agencies. Several GOP lawmakers have previously called for audits of USAID’s spending, particularly regarding its foreign aid programs and domestic grant allocations. If Trump’s claims gain traction, they could lead to formal inquiries into government funding of media organizations.
As the 2024 election cycle unfolds, Trump remains a dominant figure in Republican politics, continuing to push his narrative of government corruption and media complicity. Whether these allegations will lead to concrete investigations or remain a part of Trump’s broader campaign rhetoric remains to be seen. What is certain is that his latest remarks will further deepen the already intense partisan divisions in the U.S. political landscape.
