Fact Check: Did Joe Biden pay over $300M to 12 news agencies to target Elon Musk?

WASHINGTON, DC: Recent claims circulating on social media have sparked controversy as some users have alleged that President Joe Biden's administration paid over $300 million to Reuters and 11 federal agencies to target tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.

The accusation, initially made by Mike Benz, the CEO of the self-proclaimed free speech watchdog Foundation for Freedom Online, has gained traction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

Claim: Joe Biden administration paid Reuters and agencies to target Elon Musk's businesses

Mike Benz's claim revolves around the assertion that the Biden administration paid Reuters and other agencies millions of dollars in government contracts, which he alleges were used to target Elon Musk's businesses.

He further contends that Reuters' Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on Musk's companies, such as SpaceX and Neuralink, was influenced by these government payments. In a post on X, Benz wrote, "The Biden Admin paid Reuters over $300 million in government contracts."

He added, "11 different Biden government agencies targeted Elon's businesses. All 11 agencies paid millions to Reuters. Reuters then won the Pulitzer Prize for 'their work on Elon Musk and misconduct at his businesses.'"

Sharing similar claims, Musk wrote, "Yeah, this explains a lot. Shame on @Reuters. Paid propaganda!" However, both the White House and Musk himself have yet to issue official statements on these allegations.

No evidence to support claims of $300M payment to Reuters by Joe Biden administration

To support his claims, Mike Benz referenced data from usaspending.gov, a government database that tracks federal spending. However, there is no concrete evidence to substantiate the allegations that the Biden administration directly paid Reuters to cover Musk's companies in a negative light.

The claims surrounding the alleged $300 million government payment remain unverified and, at this time, appear to be based on speculation. No government records or statements have confirmed that the Biden administration directed funds toward Reuters or any other agency with the intention of targeting Musk.

Reuters, which is owned by Thomson Reuters, has not responded to the specific claims made by Benz or Musk. However, it’s worth noting that in May 2023, Reuters won two Pulitzer Prizes for its investigative reporting, including one award for its series on Musk's companies.

The investigative work titled 'The Musk Industrial Complex' covered a range of issues, including worker injuries at SpaceX and alleged mistreatment of animals at Neuralink.

Reuters' investigation into Musk's businesses and the subsequent Pulitzer recognition were not related to government payments but rather based on independent reporting of workplace conditions and safety concerns.

These reports have sparked debates but have been widely viewed as part of routine journalistic work aimed at holding powerful companies accountable.