A nonprofit organization that opposes nuclear weapons helps pay CNN's national security and nuclear reporter, raising fresh questions about outside funding of journalism and media impartiality.

Davis Winkie, who joined CNN in June as a reporter and senior fellow covering national security and nuclear threats, is supported through a partnership involving the Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners, The Washington Free Beacon reported Tuesday.

CNN insisted, however, that it "retains full editorial control of all reporting."

CNN announced Winkie's hiring in a June 26 press release, highlighting his background covering the White House, the Pentagon and military affairs, as well as his service in the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

The network disclosed that his reporting position is funded through the partnership with the Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners.

The Free Beacon noted that the Madison, Wisconsin-based Outrider Foundation describes itself as a nonpartisan educational organization focused on nuclear security threats and climate issues.

The group's website encourages activism aimed at eliminating nuclear weapons, urging supporters to contact members of Congress and challenge what it calls the influence of defense contractors involved in nuclear weapons production.

Outrider's published values state that public policy should rely on scientific data regarding nuclear weapons and climate change and argue that political leaders "are not doing enough to address the climate crisis and eliminate the risk of nuclear war."

The organization also says it believes "the threat of nuclear confrontation is growing" and advocates for world leaders to abandon nuclear arms.

According to the Free Beacon, Outrider's 2025 tax filing shows it provided a $170,000 grant to Journalism Funding Partners for a journalism fellowship.

The report also noted that Journalism Funding Partners receives support from other left-leaning philanthropic organizations.

The Free Beacon argued the arrangement highlights what it described as a double standard in media criticism, contending that progressive-backed funding partnerships often receive less scrutiny than potential ownership or investment by conservative media figures.

Before joining CNN, Winkie participated in a similar fellowship arrangement while covering the White House, national security and nuclear issues for USA Today, according to the report.

The Free Beacon also pointed to a recent CNN article on President Donald Trump's Saudi nuclear policy, arguing the coverage reflected criticism of conservative media while describing Israel's military response following Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attacks as "widely perceived as disproportionate in the Arab world."

Winkie's name was among the story's three bylines.