Following public revelations about taxpayer-funded subscriptions, Politico's leadership vehemently denied benefiting from government programs. CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and Editor-in-Chief John Harris addressed staff in a memo, emphasizing the value of Politico Pro's subscription service to both private and public sector clients, highlighting its fact-based reporting and policy analysis tools. They clarified that the vast majority of their professional subscriptions come from the private sector.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the Trump administration, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is terminating payments to Politico, exceeding $8 million, that were effectively subsidizing subscriptions. This action aligns with DOGE's government-wide effort to scrutinize federal spending, spearheaded by co-founder Elon Musk. While speculation arose that the entire $8 million originated from USAID, the agency currently under DOGE scrutiny, Leavitt clarified that USAID's contribution was $44,000, with the remaining funds coming from other federal departments, including substantial payments from Health and Human Services, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce.

Leavitt affirmed that the DOGE team is actively canceling these payments. Data from USAspending.gov suggests a significant increase in Politico's government subscriptions during the Biden administration. Sheikholeslami and Harris underscored the importance of covering the new administration's efforts to transform government sectors.