Trump Cuts News Media Subscriptions

The Trump administration has directed the State Department to end all non-essential news subscriptions, targeting outlets like the New York Times, AP, Reuters, and Bloomberg News as part of a wider push to reduce government spending. 

The Washington Post first reported the decision, which stems from a February 11 memo instructing U.S. embassies and consulates throughout Europe to cancel subscriptions considered non-essential due to budget constraints. The memo specifically demanded that personnel “immediately place Stop Work Orders on all non-mission critical contracts/purchase orders for media subscriptions (publications, periodicals, and newspaper subscriptions) that are not academic or professional journals.”

A subsequent memo on February 14 further instructed procurement teams to focus on terminating contracts with six prominent news organizations: the Economist, the Times, Politico, Bloomberg News, AP, and Reuters. Limited exceptions were allowed, but embassies wishing to keep a subscription had to provide a one-sentence justification showing how it enhances national security, strengthens the nation, or boosts prosperity. The Post reached out to the State Department and the six outlets for comment, with a Reuters spokesperson stating, “As a matter of policy, Reuters does not comment on commercial agreements.”

The NY Post reports the move follows an earlier Trump administration order this month directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to cancel all media contracts, including subscriptions to Politico, BBC, E&E, and Bloomberg. Axios first reported that decision, which came after online criticism over government agencies’ Politico Pro subscriptions sparked claims that the Biden administration was subsidizing anti-Trump media. 

Politico’s leadership dismissed these accusations, emphasizing that the company receives no government funding and that Politico Pro is a professional service acquired through routine procurement. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also singled out AP for sticking to “Gulf of Mexico” instead of its preferred “Gulf of America.”