NEW YORK (AP) — Upon assuming the role of Wired’s global editorial director in 2023, Katie Drummond wasted no time in acting on a sudden early-morning inspiration. With a presidential election on the horizon, the tech-centric news platform required a dedicated team to delve into the intersection of technology and politics. Little did she know the profound impact this decision would have.
Wired has garnered widespread attention for its bold coverage of the Trump administration, particularly shedding light on Elon Musk’s endeavors to streamline federal employment. The outlet has meticulously uncovered the backgrounds of Musk’s youthful team and their infiltration into government operations.
“We were well-positioned to seize upon that coverage,” remarked Drummond.
Wired has spotlighted figures like 25-year-old engineer Marko Elez, who possesses access to the expansive Treasury Department systems facilitating government payments. Profiles of individuals like 19-year-old Edward Coristine, known as “Big Balls,” have detailed his role within a federal cybersecurity agency.
In a recent hard-hitting expose, Brian Barrett outlined a series of blunders by the young government efficiency team, including the belated rehiring of employees deemed crucial and the misrepresentation of $8 billion in savings as opposed to the actual $8 million. Barrett critiqued: “Elon Musk excels in making money for Elon Musk. However, as the de facto CEO of the United States? Quite dismal. Truly embarrassing.”
The outlet’s investigative prowess has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by a surge in new subscribers. Wired welcomed 62,500 new subscribers in the U.S. within the initial two weeks of February. With a total of 19.5 million subscribers, encompassing digital and print editions, and eight global editions reaching 57 million in total, Wired’s reach is vast.
During a recent Zoom call organized for subscribers to engage with journalists regarding their articles, over 1,000 individuals signed up, noted Drummond.
“This is what investigative journalism embodies,” remarked media critic Parker Molloy on her blog, “The Present Age.” “Rather than simply regurgitating the rhetoric of the powerful, Wired’s reporters delve deeper into their actions. They unearth documents, engage with sources within agencies, and piece together the practical implications of Musk’s influence.”
Drummond emphasized that Wired does not align with any resistance movement but rather focuses on factual reporting. “This is crucial, consequential information,” she underscored. “It’s content that isn’t being disseminated transparently.”
Since its inception as a magazine in 1993, Wired quickly gained recognition as a chronicler of Silicon Valley, its people, and innovations. Acquired by Conde Nast in 1998, Wired saw Drummond rise from an intern in 2009 to the senior vice president of global news and entertainment at Vice Media before returning.
By recruiting three reporters and two editors to form a new politics team, Drummond’s objective was to
High-level executives. In that context, a certain reporter was instructed to focus on Musk as a beat. “Even though we had not expected Elon Musk to become the story, we were prepared to cover it, simply because of our history in covering him as a business leader and public figure,” she explained. With Trump in power and Musk tasked with making significant changes in the federal bureaucracy, learning about the team he was assembling became a top priority. It fell within Wired’s area of expertise. A well-known Trump supporter implies that Wired is outing workers. Not everyone was pleased. “Remember when Wired was all about cutting-edge technology and how young college dropouts could revolutionize the world?” conservative influencer Charlie Kirk remarked on X, along with a screenshot of a Wired article. “Not anymore. Now, they’re exposing DOGE employees and complaining that they’re too ‘young’ and ‘inexperienced’ to reform America’s government.” Kirk’s mention of doxxing – the malicious release of personal information that can lead to harassment – is a bit of a stretch in this scenario, according to Jennifer Grygiel, a communications professor at Syracuse University with expertise in social media. “They are now working for the government,” Grygiel noted, “so I fail to see how that qualifies as doxxing.” However, in a social media post that has since been taken down, a Virginia college professor revealed the names of some of the workers, urging others to “Doxx them.” Musk responded to that message, stating, “you have committed a crime,” as reported by The New York Times. When asked about the criticism, Drummond stated that “our coverage speaks for itself. It is thoroughly researched and fact-checked.” Initially, she expressed surprise that it took other news organizations some time to focus on the type of stories Wired was publishing, given the overwhelming amount of news during the first month of the Trump administration. She mentioned being pleased to see others eventually join in. “What I am most proud of is that we paved the way and drew the attention of other news outlets to this specific subject,” Drummond added. Furthermore, she declared, “we have no intention of stopping. We are fully dedicated to continuing to report on Musk, the Trump administration, and the transformations occurring within the federal government.”___David Bauder covers the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow his work at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social
