Just over a year after the Trump administration directed federal agencies to cancel various media subscriptions, Politico has revealed that it will discontinue one of its news brands.
In 2024, the federal government spent over 8 million dollars related to subscriptions with Politico.
February 2025 saw the White House’s General Services Administration instructing Politico and its energy and environmental brand, E&E News, to “cancel all contracts.” Other government bodies, including the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs, also decided to terminate their subscriptions to Politico’s services.
Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, stated last year that he had cut more than 1 million dollars in annual media subscription fees, which included around 460,000 dollars for Politico and E&E News subscriptions.
An EPA spokesperson told Blaze News that this move marked the largest savings ever for taxpayers, emphasizing that the government shouldn’t fund inadequate journalism. They criticized the previous administration for squandering taxpayer money to support this media outlet.
In response to the criticism surrounding government subsidies to media, Politico plans to issue a statement clarifying that it has never received government funding in the form of grants or stipends. The publication pointed out that “most” of its subscribers for Politico Pro and E&E News come from the private sector.
Despite asserting a lack of financial dependency on government funding, Politico announced in January 2026 that it had laid off about 3% of its workforce, including some E&E News reporters.
In December 2020, Politico had acquired E&E News, aiming to attract a broader subscriber base. However, following the cancellation of media subscriptions initiated by the Trump administration, the company will now cease its standalone brand.
Politico framed the discontinuation of E&E News as a strategic realignment, merging its U.S. energy and E&E teams into a single company. While it described these changes as a “new chapter,” it refrained from discussing any pressures on earnings.
Starting in September, Politico will modernize its approach to presenting journalism concerning energy and environmental policy, launching a new range of focused daily news products. E&E News will be fully integrated into Politico’s energy and environmental reporting portfolio.
No comments were provided by Politico following these announcements.
