Contrary to the claims made by Trump, Musk, and their supporters, the contract in question was actually awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS), not Reuters news agency. TRSS a distinct subsidiary within the larger Reuters conglomerate. This division, which operates separately from the Reuters news agency, specializes in providing data analysis and risk management solutions to governments and global institutions. It functions much like LexisNexis, positioning itself as a trusted partner in delivering scalable, intelligence-driven services.

Elon Musk said “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.”  

These comments also came after Reuters ran a story that was critical of Elon Musk. The story focused on the initial push by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump to eliminate waste from government agencies seems to be fueled more by an ideological attack on federal institutions—particularly those long opposed by conservatives—rather than a genuine attempt to reduce taxpayer spending, according to two seasoned Republican budget analysts.

Ron Howard shared the story on X and Elon responded with the comment I wonder how much money Reuters is getting from the government? Let’s find out.

If you would like to learn more abut government spending you can look into these things at USAspending.org It is the official open data source of federal spending information, including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.