Politico
On the 2nd of May 2022, Politico published a 98-page draft document from the United States Supreme Court. The draft indicated that the justices were poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It also pointed to the end of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, in the ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Marshal of the Court to investigate the source of the leak.
Within four days, by the 6th of May, the story had drawn 11 million views. That made it the most-trafficked story in the publisher's history. Politico's first tweet about the report gained more than triple the impressions the account normally earned in an entire month on Twitter.
Politico, stylized as POLITICO in all caps, covers politics and policy in the United States and internationally. It runs dedicated publications for the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada, among others. Most of its work is distributed online as news, analysis and opinion, but it also produces printed newspapers, radio and podcasts. Its beat centers on the federal government, lobbying and the media.
The outlet was known originally as The Politico, and its path to that May story was not a straight line. How did a website built on speed come to hold a document the Chief Justice felt compelled to investigate? Who paid for that ambition, and who has run it? And what happened when the outlet's own aggressive methods were turned back on it?
On the 23rd of January 2007, John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei launched Politico after leaving The Washington Post. Harris became editor-in-chief and VandeHei became executive editor. Robert L. Allbritton, an American banker and media executive, supplied the financial backing. Their pitch was politics reported at the pace of sports analysis, with the same granular detail that SportsCenter or ESPN brought to games.
Mike Allen, a writer for Time, was the first hire. Frederick J. Ryan Jr. served as the first president and chief executive officer. Martin Tolchin joined the editorial founding team.
Every reporter covering a political campaign for Politico carried a video camera to each assignment. Journalists were also encouraged to promote their work on other outlets. By 2008, the site was drawing more than three million unique visits per month.
In September 2008, The New York Times reported on how Politico planned to grow after the presidential election. The paper wrote that "after Election Day, Politico will add reporters, editors, Web engineers and other employees; expand circulation of its newspaper edition in Washington; and print more often." Between the 2008 and 2012 elections, the staff more than tripled. Michael Kinsley and Joe Scarborough, two political commentators, joined as opinion writers.
In 2009, the name shortened from The Politico to simply Politico. That year the print newspaper had a circulation of about 32,000, distributed free in Washington, D.C., and Manhattan. It prints up to five issues a week while Congress is in session, and sometimes only one a week during recess. It carries advertising, including full-page ads from trade associations and a help wanted section listing political and public policy jobs in the Washington, D.C. area.
As of 2017, Politico claimed to average 26 million unique visitors a month to its American website.
On the 25th of June 2007, Mike Allen launched Politico Playbook, a daily early-morning email newsletter. Within a few years, it had won a large readership among members of the Washington, D.C. community. By 2016, more than 100,000 people read it every day. They included, in the words of one description, "insiders, outsiders, lobbyists and journalists, governors, senators, presidents and would-be presidents."
Politico's original philosophy put scoops first and favored publishing large numbers of stories. Multiple commentators credit that approach, and Allen's newsletter in particular, with changing the substance and tone of the national political news cycle. They say it pushed older, more established publications to speed up their production and shift their style.
Daniel Lippman joined Politico in June 2014, largely to assist Allen with Playbook. When Allen left in July 2016 to start Axios, Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman joined Lippman to take over the writing. In March 2017, Politico announced a second, mid-day edition called Playbook Power Briefing. The same authors wrote both editions.
In 2017, a weekly sponsorship of Playbook cost between $50,000 and $60,000. Palmer and Sherman later left to found Punchbowl News. In 2021, Politico announced a new team of Playbook authors: Rachael Bade, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri and Eugene Daniels. Mike DeBonis, previously of the Washington Post, was hired as editor of Playbook in 2022. That April, Palmeri left Politico after being moved off the newsletter.
Politico Pro, a paid subscription news service, launched in 2010 and covers about a dozen topics. Prices depend on licenses and topic area, known as verticals, and run from the high four figures to the high six figures. As of 2015, Pro had a 93% subscription renewal rate and supplied about half of Politico's overall revenue. During fiscal year 2024, the U.S. federal government paid about $8 million for subscriptions to Pro and other Politico services.
In November 2013, Politico launched Politico Magazine, published online and bimonthly in print. Where the main site chased "politics and policy scoops" and breaking news, the magazine aimed for "high-impact, magazine-style reporting," such as long-form journalism. Susan Glasser, who came from Foreign Policy magazine, was its first editor. Garrett Graff took over after Glasser's promotion, followed by Blake Hounshell from 2016-2018 and Stephen Heuser from 2019-2022. In September 2022, Elizabeth Ralph became editor of what is now solely a digital publication.
In September 2013, Politico acquired the online news site Capital New York, which also ran departments covering Florida and New Jersey. In April 2015, Politico announced plans to rebrand the state feeds as Politico Florida, Politico New Jersey and Politico New York. In September 2018, it announced the launch of Politico California Pro.
In September 2014, Politico formed a joint venture with the German publisher Axel Springer SE to launch a European edition based in Brussels. That December, the venture announced it was acquiring Development Institute International, a French events provider, and European Voice, a European political newspaper to be relaunched under the Politico name. Politico Europe debuted in print on the 23rd of April 2015. In early 2016, it had about 50 editorial employees and two dozen business employees. A third-party survey ranked it the most widely read news organization among 249 Brussels influencers, though the same panel found it less influential than the Financial Times, the BBC and The Economist.
Stephen Brown, named editor-in-chief of Politico Europe in September 2019, died suddenly of a heart attack on the 18th of March 2021. Jamil Anderlini, previously Asia editor of the Financial Times, took the job in July 2021. In late 2024, Anderlini moved into the role of Regional Director of the European operation, and Kate Day was appointed Senior Executive Editor.
In December 2020, Politico acquired E&E News, which covers energy, the environment, and related climate and natural resource policy for government agencies, think tanks and corporations. The terms of the deal were not made public. E&E News includes five publications: Climatewire, E&E Daily, Energywire, Greenwire and E&E News PM. Politico has since folded it into the Pro platform, so select articles can be reached through either site.
In February 2020, Robert Allbritton, then owner of Politico, launched Protocol, a tech news website focused on the "people, power and politics of tech." It aimed to arm decision-makers in tech, business and public policy with global technology news. Protocol operated as a separate company, with its own business and editorial management. It shut down at the end of 2022 after struggling to meet revenue goals.
In 2011, Politico began leaning toward long-form journalism and news analysis. In June 2013, it hired Susan Glasser to oversee "opinion from prominent outside voices" and "long-form storytelling." In September 2014, she was named editor, following the resignation of Richard Berke the previous month.
Under Glasser and her successor Carrie Budoff Brown, Politico pushed harder into investigating Washington policymakers. According to The New York Times, a 2015 series of stories by Sherman and Palmer helped break open the scandal that forced Representative Aaron Schock of Illinois to resign that year.
In 2017, reporter Marianne Levine broke the news that Andy Puzder, Donald Trump's pick for Labor Secretary, had been accused of spousal abuse by his ex-wife. The Poynter Institute credited her with helping bring down the nominee. Puzder withdrew his nomination after the story.
In September 2017, reporters Rachana Pradhan and Dan Diamond revealed that Tom Price, President Trump's health secretary, was flying on charter jets paid for by taxpayers. The Washington Post called the investigation a "bombshell." Price resigned after the stories.
Andrew Beaujon of the Washingtonian called Politico's 2017 stories under Budoff Brown "indispensable." He wrote that they helped the outlet "get its groove back."
In February 2022, reporter Alex Thompson reported that Eric Lander, President Joe Biden's science adviser, had been "demeaning" colleagues in the office. Endpoints News called it a "bombshell report." Lander resigned after the story.
Matt Wuerker's editorial cartoons won Politico a Pulitzer Prize in 2012. The outlet has also won four George Polk Awards. The first, in 2014, went to Rania Abouzeid for investigating the rise of the Islamic State. Helena Bottemiller Evich won in 2019 for investigating the Trump administration's efforts to bury its climate change plans. Dan Diamond won in 2020 for investigating political interference in the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth, in 2022, went to Josh Gerstein, Alex Ward, Peter Canellos and the staff, for the story that opened this documentary.
Jim VandeHei was named Politico's CEO in October 2013. Under his leadership the company grew, and in 2014 alone it expanded revenues by 25%. By 2016, Politico had nearly 500 employees worldwide.
Amid reports of tension, VandeHei announced that he would leave after the 2016 presidential election, but he left far sooner. Allbritton, then executive chairman and owner, was named acting CEO. Several months later, Washingtonian Magazine reported that the relationship had broken down over a series of events. These included VandeHei pushing Allbritton to sell the company, and Allbritton losing faith in VandeHei as a chief executive.
Patrick Steel, an investment banker, served as CEO from 2017 to 2021. He departed in early 2021 after four years.
In October 2021, the German media firm Axel Springer SE announced that it had completed its acquisition of Politico for over $1 billion. The closing took place in late October. The new owners said they would add staff and, at some point, put the publication's news behind a paywall.
Mathias Döpfner, Axel Springer's chief executive, said Politico staff would need to adhere to company principles. These included support for a united Europe and for Israel's right to exist, advocacy of the transatlantic alliance between the United States and Europe, and a free-market economy. Staff who disagreed, he said, "should not work for Axel Springer, very clearly." The company said it would not require Politico employees to sign documents supporting the alliance or Israel. It noted that the policy is enforced at Bild, a German newspaper owned by Axel Springer. After the deal, Haaretz and Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting reported that Politico would require employees to acknowledge Israel's right to exist.
Goli Sheikholeslami, who had been CEO of WNYC public radio, was announced as Politico's CEO in January 2022. She was tasked with leading both Politico and Politico Europe. In March 2022, Dafna Linzer, formerly of MSNBC and NBC News, was named executive editor. She departed in 2023 after a year in the role.
In September 2022, Politico published an exposé critical of NGO leadership at the helm of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic response. It was written in cooperation with Die Welt, another Axel Springer newspaper.
In June 2024, several top Politico reporters left the company. In February 2025, Editor-in-Chief John Harris announced newsroom leadership changes. Joseph Schatz became Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and Alex Burns became Senior Executive Editor for the United States. In May 2025, Martín Varsavsky, an Argentine entrepreneur on the Axel Springer board, resigned after accusing Politico of left-wing bias. He cited its news coverage of Israel during the Gaza war.
On the 29th of March 2026, Politico announced that Jonathan Greenberger, its executive vice president since 2024, would be its next global editor. He will replace Harris from the 1st of May.
In 2024, Politico published AI-generated news summaries of major U.S. political events, including the Democratic National Convention and the presidential debates. Wired reported that the tool had fabricated quotes, misspelled names and used language that violated Politico's editorial standards, such as the term "criminal migrants." The errors were later taken down without a correction from an editor.
In September 2024, Politico announced a partnership with Capital AI, a startup backed by Y Combinator. The goal was a tool that summarized Politico's journalism for Politico Pro subscribers. In March 2025, Politico unveiled Policy Intelligence Assistant, a suite of AI tools for paying subscribers. Executive Rachel Loeffler described the initiative as "seamlessly integrating generative AI with our unmatched policy expertise."
A union representing journalists at Politico and E&E News said the tools violated their contract. The contract requires management to give journalists 60 days' notice before rolling out AI products that "materially and substantively" affect their duties. In July 2025, the union took Politico leadership to arbitration. A group of employees went on to win a landmark case in 2025 against the firm's use of AI tools and its launch of two AI-based products.
In January 2022, Politico Playbook reported that Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor had been seen at dinner with leading Democrats. She had earlier said she could not appear in person for oral arguments. The report was wrong. Politico had mistaken Iris Weinshall, the wife of Chuck Schumer, for Sotomayor, who had never been at the dinner, and it had not verified the claim.
During the 2016 presidential election, Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm, targeted pro-Trump voters and anti-Hillary Clinton voters. It reached them with native advertising and sponsored or branded material on Politico.
On the 14th of January 2021, the conservative commentator Ben Shapiro wrote as a guest for Politico's Playbook newsletter. He defended House Republicans who opposed the second impeachment of Donald Trump. Staffers pushed back hard. Matthew Kaminski, Politico's editor in chief, declined to apologize and said the outlet "stands by every word." He added: "We're not going to back away from having published something because some people think it was a mistake to do so." According to The Daily Beast, more than 100 staffers signed a letter to publisher Robert Allbritton criticizing the decision and Kaminski's response.
In 2024, Politico was handed leaked confidential materials from the Donald Trump presidential campaign. It confirmed the documents were authentic but refused to report on their contents. The Associated Press wrote that this stood "in marked contrast" to Politico's extensive reporting on the leaked emails of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign manager.
An investigation by The Intercept, The Nation and DeSmog found that Politico is one of the leading outlets publishing advertising for the fossil fuel industry. The investigators said it failed to adequately distinguish independent journalism from native advertising. Politico's climate reporters worry that conflicts of interest with companies that cause climate change, obstruct action or engage in greenwashing through sponsored material will damage their credibility and leave readers misinformed.
On the 31st of January 2025, a Defense Department memo announced that Politico must leave its longtime workspace on the Correspondents' Corridor in the Pentagon. The move came under a new Annual Media Rotation Program for the Pentagon Press Corps.
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Common questions
When was Politico founded and who started it?
Politico launched on the 23rd of January 2007. John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei left The Washington Post to lead it, with financial backing from banker and media executive Robert L. Allbritton.
Who owns Politico?
Axel Springer SE, a German publishing and media firm, owns Politico. It announced the completed acquisition in October 2021 for over $1 billion, with the closing in late October.
What is Politico Playbook?
Politico Playbook is a daily early-morning email newsletter that Mike Allen launched on the 25th of June 2007. By 2016, more than 100,000 people read it daily, and a second mid-day edition called Playbook Power Briefing was added in March 2017.
What is Politico Pro and how much does it cost?
Politico Pro is a paid subscription news service that launched in 2010 and covers about a dozen topics. Costs depend on licenses and topic area, ranging from the high four figures to the high six figures, and in 2015 it supplied about half of Politico's revenue.
What was the Politico Supreme Court leak in 2022?
On the 2nd of May 2022, Politico published a 98-page draft document indicating the Supreme Court was poised to strike down Roe v. Wade. It became the most-trafficked story in the publisher's history, with 11 million views by the 6th of May.
Why did the Politico union take the company to arbitration over AI?
A union representing journalists at Politico and E&E News said the company's AI tools violated a contract requiring 60 days' notice before AI products that materially and substantively affect journalists' duties. The union took Politico leadership to arbitration in July 2025.
All sources
121 references cited across the entry
- 2NewsJohn Harris Named Top Editor at PoliticoBenjamin Mullin et al. — July 17, 2023
- 4NewsMission Statement
- 6NewsNew Politico owner says will enforce pro-Israel policyOctober 17, 2021
- 7Politico journalists fight back over AI tools that published 'glaring errors'Dominic Ponsford — 2025-12-02
- 9NewsThey Seem to Think the Next Four Years Will Be NormalBen Smith — 2021-01-03
- 10NewsThe Man the White House Wakes Up ToMark Leibovich — 2010-04-21
- 11NewsCan Politico rise again?David Uberti — June 25, 2015
- 12Politico AnimalLindsey McPherson — 2008
- 14Politico Playbook: Mitt's momentMike Allen — Politico — May 4, 2007
- 15NewsTrump set to ask for more coronavirus cashDan Diamond — 24 February 2020
- 16NewsMartin Tolchin
- 17Politico Hopes To Rock Washington MediaHarry Jaffe — January 22, 2007
- 18NewsFor journalists, it's not politics as usualKatharine Q. Seelye — January 8, 2007
- 19NewsPolitico and Reuters Forge News-Distribution AllianceRichard Pérez-Peña — December 14, 2008
- 20NewsPolitico Intends to Expand After Presidential Race EndsPérez-Peña, Richard — September 22, 2008
- 21NewsPolitical News Sites See 2012 as Breakthrough YearJeremy W. Peters — January 29, 2011
- 22NewsKinsley, Scarborough to PoliticoBen Smith — September 8, 2010
- 23NewsPolitico: what are the secrets of its success?Frédéric Filloux — September 5, 2011
- 24NewsPolitico Expands Coverage Areas and Adds an Editor of NoteLeslie Kaufman — June 3, 2013
- 25NewsPolitico Names New Overseer of Washington News ContentRavi Somaiya — September 18, 2014
- 26NewsVandeHei, Politico Editor, Is Made Chief ExecutiveBrian Stelter et al. — October 13, 2013
- 27Can Politico save political journalism, not just in the U.S. but in Europe too?Mathew Ingram — September 28, 2015
- 28NewsLeaders Deny Strife Caused Departures From PoliticoRavi Somaiya — January 29, 2016
- 29NewsPolitico Will Lose Its Co-Founder and 4 OthersRavi Somaiya — January 28, 2016
- 30What Really Happened at Politico - WashingtonianLuke Mullins — July 17, 2016
- 31NewsPolitico Names Investment Banker as New CEOLukas I. Alpert — April 25, 2017
- 32NewsPolitico's chief executive is stepping down this year.Katie Robertson — February 2, 2021
- 34NewsThe head of New York Public Radio will take charge of Politico.Katie Robertson — 2022-01-10
- 35POLITICO Names Dafna Linzer Executive EditorMarch 23, 2022
- 36NewsDafna Linzer abruptly steps down as Politico's executive editorSarah Ellison — March 9, 2023
- 37NewsPolitico's next battleground: EuropePallota, Frank — September 9, 2014
- 38Politico to launch in Europe in April with more than 40 journalistsJasper Jackson — March 17, 2015
- 40Press Release: Politico Europe names Stephen Brown Editor in ChiefSeptember 29, 2019
- 42Politico Europe Names Jamil Anderlini Its New Editor in ChiefMark Stenberg — July 12, 2021
- 43Politico announces new leadership structure in Europe21 November 2024
- 44Politico's Global Editor-In-Chief John Harris Announces Newsroom Organizational StructureMelissa Cooke — 19 February 2025
- 46NewsPolitico purchases E&E NewsRachel Frazin — 2020-12-29
- 47NewsMike Allen, Politico's Newsletter Pioneer, Is Handing Over the ReinsJim Rutenberg — 2016-06-20
- 49NewsOpinion: Stakeout at Dulles Airport launched Politico bombshell on Tom Price's charter-flight scandalErik Wemple — October 4, 2017
- 50The Year in DC Media Stories2017-12-29
- 54NewsPolitico will be sold to Axel Springer for over $1 billionBrian Stelter — 2021-08-26
- 56NewsPolitico's New Owner Plans to Grow Staff, Launch PaywallBojan Pancevski — Wall Street Journal — October 15, 2021
- 57Values
- 59NewsInside Politico's Billion-Dollar DramaBen Smith — 2021-08-29
- 60How Bill Gates and partners used their clout to control the global Covid response — with little oversightErin Banco — September 14, 2022
- 63Axel Springer board member calls out Politico's coverage of IsraelMatthew Kassel — 2025-03-19
- 64Exclusive: Supreme Court had voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion showsJosh Gerstein et al. — May 2, 2022
- 65For Immediate ReleaseSupreme Court of the United States — 3 May 2022
- 68NewsPolitico's Newsroom Is Starting a Legal Battle With Management Over AIKate Knibbs — May 22, 2025
- 69Politico's Owner Is Embarrassing Its Journalists With Garbled AI SlopFrank Landymore — 2025-07-23
- 70Politico's wonky Pro service to roll out new AI toolMax Tani — Sep 30, 2024
- 71Press releasePOLITICO Unveils Policy Intelligence Assistant: An AI Powered Suite for Policy ProfessionalsMelissa Cooke — Politico — March 6, 2025
- 72The struggle over AI in journalism is escalatingBrian Merchant — July 19, 2025
- 73Politico Playbook: HijackedMike Allen — June 25, 2007
- 77NewsWashington Post and Politico Talk About a RiftRavi Somaiya — January 15, 2014
- 78NewsPolitico Hires 'Citizen Journo' Daniel Lippman for PlaybookNick Massella — June 2, 2014
- 79Mike Allen's Last Playbook Is on SundayAndrew Beaujon — July 8, 2016
- 80NewsFor a speedier D.C. news cycle, Politico is rolling out a second PlaybookBenjamin Mullin — March 20, 2017
- 81NewsPolitico implodesErik Wemple — January 28, 2016
- 82Politico Playbook Can Fuck Right OffLibby Watson — May 11, 2018
- 83Politico Announces Its New Playbook Team2021-01-15
- 84Mike DeBonis joins POLITICO as Editor of PlaybookJuly 15, 2022
- 85NewsTara Palmeri to Leave Politico, Will Join PuckEduardo Razo — April 14, 2024
- 86NewsPolitico Adds Subscription News ServiceJeremy W. Peters — October 25, 2010
- 92Politico hires FP's Susan Glasser to head new long-form journalism, opinion divisionsDylan Byers — June 2, 2013
- 93Garrett Graff named editor of Politico MagBenjamin Mullin — January 22, 2015
- 94Elizabeth Ralph named Editor of POLITICO Magazine and a Managing Editor at POLITICOMelissa Cooke — September 15, 2022
- 95Politico owner rolls out new tech-focused media ventureAndy Medici — November 13, 2019
- 96About Us
- 97Protocol, the tech-news focused website, will shutter and lay off its entire staffOliver Darcy — November 15, 2022
- 98Politico buys Capital New YorkDylan Byers — September 8, 2013
- 99NewsPolitico to Expand Coverage of States, Starting With New JerseyRavi Somaiya — April 15, 2015
- 100NewsPolitico Announces Expanded California PresenceKatie Pudwill — September 26, 2018
- 101Faqs2024-02-16
- 102Top reporters leave PoliticoMax Tani — June 25, 2024
- 103NewsPolitico Names New Top EditorKatie Robertson — 2026-03-29
- 104DC media makes meal of supposed Sotomayor restaurant sightingMartin Pengelly — January 9, 2022
- 105Politico Playbook Issues Correction for Botched Sotomayor SightingZachary Petrizzo — January 8, 2021
- 106Politico Savaged for 'Erroneously' Putting Justice Sonia Sotomayor at DC Dinner After Court Argument Over COVID MandatesDiane Haithman — January 8, 2022
- 107Politico Apparently Helped Make One of the Trump Campaign's Most Successful AdsDavid Uberti — March 23, 2018
- 108NewsLeaked: Cambridge Analytica's blueprint for Trump victoryPaul Lewis et al. — March 23, 2018
- 109POLITICO Playbook: The real reason most Republicans opposed impeachmentBen Shapiro — January 14, 2021
- 110'Mischief Making': Politico Boss Defends Handing Over Playbook to Right-Wing Bombthrower Ben ShapiroMaxwell Tani — The Daily Beast — January 14, 2021
- 111News100+ Politico Staffers Send Letter to Publisher Railing Against Publishing Ben ShapiroMaxwell Tani — The Daily Beast — February 3, 2021
- 112News outlets were leaked insider material from the Trump campaign. They chose not to print itDavid Bauder — 2024-08-13
- 113NewsLeading News Outlets Are Doing the Fossil Fuel Industry's GreenwashingAmy Westervelt — The Intercept — December 5, 2023
- 114NewsExclusive: Axel Springer, Politico execs meet with staff after letter warns CEO risks 'undermining our reputation'Max Tani — April 27, 2026
- 115Politico Boss Reportedly Demands Allegiance to Israel From Editorial StaffSharon Zhang — 2026-04-29
- 116Politico owner Axel Springer doubles down on corporate principlesMatthew Kassel — 2026-04-28
- 118NewsPolitico FactsMarch 27, 2017
- 120NewsPolitico's Washington CoupWolff, Michael — August 2009
- 121Editor sees room for Politico coverageJanuary 22, 2007
- 123White House Cracks Down on News SubscriptionsFebruary 6, 2025
- 125NewsHow the Post Was LostRoss Douthat — August 10, 2013
- 126JournalOnline News Leads Presidential Campaign CycleJosh Kraushaar — June 2009