US Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has publicly criticized the news outlet Politico, accusing it of publishing a story with the intent to worsen relations between the United States and Russia. The accusation was made in a post on the social media platform X on March 20, 2026.
Gaetz's criticism appears to be in response to a Politico report from March 19, 2026, which detailed a meeting between Russian businessman Anton Dmitriev and US officials in Florida earlier in March. The Politico article suggested the meeting could be part of a Russian influence operation.
In his post, Gaetz claimed the Politico story was "designed to blow up U.S.-Russia relations" and criticized the outlet's sourcing. As of March 21, 2026, Politico has not publicly responded to Gaetz's specific allegations. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in US-Russia relations and debates over media coverage of diplomatic engagements.
