Politico

On January 23, 2007, two former Washington Post reporters named John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei launched a website with a radical idea: treat political news like sports coverage. They wanted speed over depth, insider access over distance, and multiple updates a day instead of a single morning edition. Backed by Robert Allbritton, heir to a banking fortune, the team started small but moved fast. The first hire was Mike Allen, a veteran White House correspondent who brought a network of sources that would become the backbone of their daily newsletter.

Today the organization operates as a for-profit subsidiary of the German media conglomerate Axel Springer SE. The company bought Politico from Allbritton in October 2021 for roughly $1 billion, ending a unique era of independent ownership. Goli Sheikholeslami took over as Global CEO in October 2022, steering the company through its global expansion. As of early 2025, about 1,100 employees work across offices in Arlington, Virginia; Brussels; London; Paris; Berlin; Sacramento; and New York.

The outlet has built a reputation for being indispensable to the political class while drawing criticism for its close ties to the establishment it covers. Its flagship Playbook newsletter functions as a public signal board for Washington insiders, often setting the agenda for the day. The company now publishes dedicated editions for the United States, Europe, the UK, and Canada, and offers POLITICO Pro, a subscription service that provides real-time legislative tracking and deep-dive analysis for professionals. [edit]

Politico aims to deliver urgent, authoritative journalism to decision-makers and engaged citizens. The outlet treats politics as a competitive sport, focusing on the mechanics of power, lobbying strategies, campaign maneuvers, and regulatory shifts. It prioritizes speed and access, ensuring that those who need to know what is happening in real-time have the most reliable intelligence available. [edit]

Politico launched on January 23, 2007, as a digital-first experiment. Its founders, John Harris and Jim VandeHei, had grown frustrated with the slow pace of traditional newspapers. They convinced Robert Allbritton, heir to a banking fortune, to fund a lean, fast-moving outlet that would publish multiple times a day. The first hire was Mike Allen, who brought with him a deep network of White House sources. The site originally carried the name The Politico before dropping the definite article.

Within a few years, Politico had established itself as a Washington institution. Its Playbook newsletter, launched in 2007, became a daily ritual for the political class. The outlet expanded into Europe in 2015 with the launch of Politico Europe, based in Brussels. In December 2020, Politico acquired E&E News, a trade publication covering energy and the environment.

In October 2021, Axel Springer SE completed its acquisition of Politico from Robert Allbritton for roughly $1 billion. The deal marked the end of Allbritton's ownership and brought Politico under the umbrella of a large European media conglomerate. Goli Sheikholeslami was appointed global CEO in October 2022. As of early 2025, the organization employs about 1,100 people and continues to expand its coverage of global politics. [edit]