Former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have launched a fresh attack on Reuters, accusing the news agency’s parent company of receiving millions from the U.S. government for a “social deception” program. The allegations stem from a $9.1 million contract awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) by the Pentagon to combat cyber threats.
The contract, which ran from 2018 to 2022 during Trump’s first term, was focused on defending against social engineering cyberattacks—tactics that use deception to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information.
🚨🇺🇸 DOD PAID REUTERS $9M FOR "SOCIAL ENGINEERING" PROGRAM
DOGE investigations reveal mysterious Defense Department payments to Reuters for "large scale social deception" project between 2018-2022.
While DARPA claims it was for cyber defense, questions swirl about why a news… https://t.co/8jfgRLW8Fv pic.twitter.com/DAcppcf2j9
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 13, 2025
Musk, who is spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s directive to restructure federal agencies, took to X (formerly Twitter) to challenge the contract’s legitimacy.
“Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for ‘large scale social deception.’ That is literally what it says on the purchase order! They’re a total scam. Just wow.”
Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for “large scale social deception”.
That is literally what it says on the purchase order! They’re a total scam.
Just wow. https://t.co/GGxoVQSwN8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 13, 2025
Trump quickly followed up on Truth Social, demanding that Reuters return the funds.
“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!”
Musk further alleged that Reuters had received even more government funding through indirect means.
“Reuters received far more money than this from US government organizations, but via various subsidiaries and intermediaries to hide how they were getting it. This is just what @DOGE has found so far,” he claimed.
Reuters received far more money than this from US government organizations, but via various subsidiaries and intermediaries to hide how they were getting it.
This is just what @DOGE has found so far. pic.twitter.com/PXbL1OkEKO
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 13, 2025
Reuters Pushes Back Against Accusations
Thomson Reuters quickly denied the allegations, clarifying that the contract had been misrepresented. In a statement, the company emphasized that the deal was awarded to TRSS, a separate division focused on cybersecurity, and not the news agency itself.
“The contract in question was a four-year $9 million award, beginning in 2018 during Trump’s first term and ending in 2022, between the U.S. Department of Defense and a division of the Toronto-based content and technology company called Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS),” the company stated.
It further explained that the contract aimed to protect the U.S. government from social engineering threats, a common cybersecurity risk where individuals are tricked into divulging sensitive information.
(With inputs from India Today)
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