Glitch in the Matrix: Trump Administration Federal Grant Oversight Code Calculates Grants Based on Stolen 1998 Text Messages
A data analyst working with the Trump administration federal grant oversight system has stumbled upon a baffling anomaly: the automated grant allocation algorithm appears to be cross-referencing every application against a single, corrupted text message thread from 1998 between two teenagers in Ohio. The glitch caused millions in federal funding to be routed to a defunct dial-up internet service provider, leading to a bizarre but very real payout of $24.7 million before anyone noticed. Officials are now scrambling to rewire the system, while the original 1998 texters are receiving subpoenas.