Report says U.S. journalists took China-funded trips

A new report alleges that dozens of prominent American journalists participated in trips to China organized or funded by a foundation linked to the Chinese Communist Party, raising questions about media transparency and foreign influence. The allegations, published by investigative reporter Natalie Winters on July 27, 2026, claim the trips were designed to generate favorable coverage of Beijing.

Winters' report, based on Foreign Agents Registration Act filings and cross-referenced with archived materials, identifies the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) as the organization behind the trips. U.S. government and research documents have previously described CUSEF as part of China's United Front system, a network aimed at promoting positions favorable to Beijing among foreign elites, including media figures. The filings cited state CUSEF's objectives included generating favorable media coverage and disseminating positive messages about China.

The journalists named span a wide range of major U.S. news organizations, including current and former staff from The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, The Washington Post, NPR, the Associated Press, Vox, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles...