History of Politico in Timeline
Politico, an American political digital news company founded in 2007 by Robert Allbritton, covers U.S. and international politics and policy. With online publications dedicated to politics in the U.S., EU, UK, and Canada, Politico primarily distributes news, analysis, and opinions online. It also produces print newspapers, radio programs, and podcasts. Its coverage focuses on topics like the federal government, lobbying, and the media.
January 23, 2007: Politico Website Launch
On January 23, 2007, Politico's website was officially launched by John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei, formerly of The Washington Post, with financial backing from Robert L. Allbritton.
June 25, 2007: Playbook Launch
Mike Allen launched Playbook, a daily morning email newsletter, on June 25, 2007.
2007: Politico Founded
Politico, an American political digital newspaper company, was founded in 2007 by Robert Allbritton. It covers US and international politics and policy.
September 2008: Politico Announces Expansion Plans
In September 2008, The New York Times reported Politico's plans to expand its operations after the U.S. presidential election.
2008: Politico's Website Traffic Grows
By 2008, Politico's website was receiving over three million unique visitors monthly. Journalists were encouraged to promote their work on the platform and carry video cameras to assignments.
2009: Politico's Print Circulation and Distribution
In 2009, Politico's print newspaper had a circulation of about 32,000, distributed free in Washington, D.C., and Manhattan. The publication frequency varied depending on Congressional sessions.
2009: Name Change to Politico
In 2009, the publication officially shortened its name from The Politico to Politico.
2010: Politico Pro Launch
Politico Pro, a B2B subscription service, launched in 2010, offering in-depth coverage across various topics and generating substantial revenue for Politico.
2011: Focus Shift to Long-Form Journalism
Politico started to focus more on long-form journalism and in-depth news analysis in 2011.
2012: Politico Staff Triples in Size
Between the 2008 and 2012 elections, Politico's staff tripled in size.
2012: Politico Wins Pulitzer Prize
Politico won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for Matt Wuerker's editorial cartoons.
June 2013: Susan Glasser Joins Politico
In June 2013, Susan Glasser was hired to oversee opinion pieces and long-form content, further emphasizing the shift towards in-depth reporting.
September 2013: Capital New York Acquisition
Politico acquired the online news site Capital New York in September 2013, including its Florida and New Jersey branches.
October 2013: Jim VandeHei Becomes CEO
Jim VandeHei was appointed CEO of Politico in October 2013.
November 2013: Politico Magazine Launch
In November 2013, Politico launched its new publication, Politico Magazine, online and in print. Unlike Politico's focus on breaking news, the magazine features in-depth, long-form journalism.
June 2014: Daniel Lippman Joins Politico
Daniel Lippman joined Politico in June 2014 to assist Mike Allen with Playbook.
September 2014: European Expansion
Politico partnered with Axel Springer SE to launch Politico Europe in September 2014.
September 2014: Susan Glasser Becomes Editor
Susan Glasser became Politico's editor in September 2014 after Richard Berke's resignation.
December 2014: Acquisitions for European Expansion
Politico's joint venture with Axel Springer SE acquired Development Institute International and European Voice in December 2014, aiming to relaunch European Voice under the Politico brand.
2014: Politico's Revenue Growth
In 2014, Politico saw a 25% increase in revenue under VandeHei's leadership.
2014: Politico Wins George Polk Award
Politico won its first George Polk Award in 2014 for Rania Abouzeid's investigation of the rise of ISIS.
April 2015: State Politics Expansion
Politico rebranded its state-focused publications under the Politico name (Politico Florida, Politico New Jersey, and Politico New York) to broaden its state politics coverage in April 2015.
April 23, 2015: Politico Europe Print Debut
Politico Europe launched its print edition on April 23, 2015.
2015: Politico.eu Launch
Politico.eu, the Brussels-based European version, was formally launched in 2015.
2015: Aaron Schock Resignation
Reporting by Sherman and Palmer in 2015 contributed to the resignation of Representative Aaron Schock.
July 2016: New Playbook Authors
After Mike Allen's departure in July 2016, Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman, and Daniel Lippman took over Playbook.
November 2016: Politico Editor Resigns Over Doxxing Incident
In November 2016, Politico editor Michael Hirsh resigned after posting the home address of white supremacist Richard B. Spencer on Facebook.
2016: New Politico Magazine Editor
Blake Hounshell took the helm as editor of Politico Magazine in 2016, succeeding Garrett Graff.
2016: Politico's Global Expansion
By 2016, Politico had almost 500 employees across the globe.
2016: Playbook Gains Wide Readership
By 2016, Politico's Playbook had over 100,000 daily readers, significantly influencing the national political news cycle.
2016: Politico.eu Readership
By early 2016, Politico.eu had around 50 editorial staff and was identified as the most read news outlet by Brussels influencers according to a survey.
2016: VandeHei and Allen's Departure
VandeHei and Allen announced their departure from Politico after the 2016 election, though they left earlier, amidst reported tension. Allbritton became acting CEO. Reports later surfaced about disagreements regarding selling the company.
March 2017: Playbook Power Briefing Launch
A second, midday edition of Playbook, "Playbook Power Briefing," was launched in March 2017.
April 2017: Politico Article Criticized for Unsubstantiated Claims
In April 2017, a Politico article suggesting links between Trump and Putin through a Hasidic organization drew criticism for lacking evidence and failing to contact the organization.
September 2017: Tom Price Resignation
An investigation by Rachana Pradhan and Dan Diamond in September 2017 into Health Secretary Tom Price's use of taxpayer-funded charter jets resulted in his resignation.
2017: Politico's Reach and Post-Acquisition Policy Change
In 2017, Politico reported a large online readership. After being acquired by Axel Springer, reports emerged about a new policy requiring employees to acknowledge Israel's right to exist.
2017: Playbook Sponsorship Costs
In 2017, weekly sponsorship of Playbook cost $50,000-$60,000.
2017: Andy Puzder Withdrawal
Marianne Levine's reporting on Andy Puzder in 2017 led to his withdrawal as Trump's Labor Secretary nominee.
2017: Patrick Steel Becomes CEO
Patrick Steel became CEO of Politico in 2017.
2017: Politico's Resurgence
Politico's investigative reporting in 2017, particularly under Carrie Budoff Brown, was recognized for its impact and contribution to the publication's renewed success.
September 2018: Politico California Pro Launch
In September 2018, Politico expanded its coverage to the West Coast with the launch of Politico California Pro.
March 2019: Politico Accused of Antisemitism Over Bernie Sanders Article
In March 2019, Politico faced accusations of antisemitism for an article depicting Bernie Sanders next to money trees and using language considered to perpetuate antisemitic tropes.
September 2019: Stephen Brown's Appointment
Stephen Brown was appointed editor-in-chief of Politico Europe in September 2019.
2019: Politico Wins Second George Polk Award
Politico received a second George Polk Award in 2019 for an investigation into the Trump administration's handling of climate change plans.
2019: Another Editor Change
Stephen Heuser was appointed editor of Politico Magazine in 2019.
February 2020: Protocol Launch
Politico's owner, Robert Allbritton, launched Protocol in February 2020. This online publication covered the intersection of technology, business, and public policy.
December 2020: E&E News Acquisition
Politico acquired E&E News in December 2020 to expand its coverage of energy and environmental topics.
2020: Politico Wins Third George Polk Award
Politico was awarded a third George Polk Award in 2020 for its investigation of political interference in the federal government's COVID-19 response.
January 14, 2021: Ben Shapiro's Playbook Appearance Sparks Internal Backlash
On January 14, 2021, Ben Shapiro's guest contribution to Politico's Playbook newsletter, defending Republicans opposing Trump's impeachment, led to internal dissent and staff criticism.
March 18, 2021: Stephen Brown's Passing
Stephen Brown, editor-in-chief of Politico Europe, passed away from a heart attack on March 18, 2021.
July 2021: New Editor-in-Chief
Jamil Anderlini became the new Editor-in-Chief of Politico Europe in July 2021.
October 2021: Axel Springer Acquisition
Axel Springer SE completed its acquisition of Politico for over $1 billion in October 2021, with plans for expansion and a future paywall.
2021: Politico Acquired by Axel Springer
In 2021, Politico was acquired by Axel Springer SE for over $1 billion. Unlike Axel Springer's German newspaper employees, Politico's staff are not required to sign the company's mission statement.
2021: Patrick Steel Departs
Patrick Steel left Politico in early 2021 after four years as CEO.
2021: New Playbook Team
With Palmer and Sherman leaving for Punchbowl News, a new Playbook team was announced in 2021.
January 2022: Goli Sheikholeslami Appointed CEO
Goli Sheikholeslami, former CEO of WNYC, became CEO of Politico and Politico Europe in January 2022 under the new owner, Axel Springer.
January 2022: Politico Misidentifies Supreme Court Justice
In January 2022, Politico Playbook incorrectly reported that Justice Sonia Sotomayor dined with Democrats. The report was later corrected, revealing a case of mistaken identity.
February 2022: Eric Lander Resignation
Alex Thompson's reporting in February 2022 on Eric Lander's treatment of colleagues led to Lander's resignation as President Biden's science adviser.
March 2022: Dafna Linzer Appointed Executive Editor
Dafna Linzer became the new executive editor of Politico in March 2022.
May 2, 2022: Politico Publishes Leaked Supreme Court Draft Opinion
On May 2, 2022, Politico published a leaked draft opinion indicating the Supreme Court's intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. This publication resulted in an investigation into the leak and significant online traffic for Politico.
September 2022: COVID-19 Response Exposé
In September 2022, Politico, in partnership with Die Welt, published an exposé on the leadership of NGOs involved in the global COVID-19 pandemic response.
2022: Politico Magazine Goes Digital
In 2022, Elizabeth Ralph became editor as Politico Magazine transitioned to a digital-only format.
2022: Mike DeBonis Hired as Editor and Palmeri Leaves Playbook
In 2022, Mike DeBonis became editor of Politico Playbook, while Tara Palmeri left the Playbook team in April.
2022: Politico Wins Fourth George Polk Award
Politico earned its fourth George Polk Award in 2022 for revealing the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.
2022: Protocol Shutdown
Protocol ceased operations in 2022 due to financial challenges.
2023: Dafna Linzer Departs
Dafna Linzer left Politico in 2023 after one year as executive editor.
February 2024: Berlin Playbook Launch
Politico launched a Berlin edition of Playbook in February 2024, expanding its global reach.
June 2024: Departure of Top Reporters
In June 2024, several top reporters left Politico.
2024: Allsides Rates Politico's Media Bias
As of 2024, Allsides.com rates Politico's media bias as "Leans Left".
2024: Politico Obtains Trump Campaign Leaks but Declines to Report
In 2024, Politico obtained leaked materials from the Trump campaign but chose not to publish them, a decision contrasting with its handling of leaked Clinton campaign emails in 2016.
January 31, 2025: Politico Ordered to Leave Pentagon Workspace
On January 31, 2025, the Defense Department instructed Politico to vacate its workspace in the Pentagon under a new media rotation program.
