3 weeks ago
Elon Musk sparked the controversy on social media, suggesting that Reuters was paid by the US government to engage in "social deception". Trump followed up with a demand that the company return the funds.
Donald Trump with Elon Musk
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 14, 2025 07:05 IST
US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk launched a broadside against Reuters, alleging that the news agency's parent company benefited from a multimillion-dollar Pentagon contract aimed at combating cyber threats.
The controversy stems from a $9.1 million contract awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) during Trump’s first term. The contract, which ran from 2018 to 2022, focused on defending against "social engineering" cyberattacks that use deception to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information.
Musk, who is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s direction to restructure federal agencies and cut government spending, took to social media to question the contract's legitimacy.
“Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for ‘large scale social deception,’” Musk wrote on X, his social media platform. “That is literally what it says on the purchase order! They’re a total scam. Just wow.”
Echoing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Trump stepped up the attack, demanding that Reuters return the money.
“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!” the President posted on Truth Social.
Published By:
Devika Bhattacharya
Published On:
Feb 14, 2025
