Politico's UK newsroom to unionise as Trump pressures media
Journalists at online media outlet Politico are preparing to unionise as Donald Trump puts its parent company in his sights.
Staff in Politico's UK newsroom have submitted a formal request for union recognition to the company, which is owned by German media giant Axel Springer.
Insiders said morale at the publication had slumped, with staff unhappy about pay and benefits.
It comes amid a chilling of relations between the Trump administration and Axel Springer, which is run by media tycoon Mathias Döpfner.
Mr Döpfner, whose empire also includes Business Insider and newspaper titles Die Welt and Bild, has previously been sympathetic to Mr Trump's politics and arranged for Elon Musk to write an opinion piece expressing his support for Germany's far-right AfD in one of his papers.
However, he has since distanced himself from Mr Trump over the US president's treatment of Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Politico has found itself in the spotlight after Mr Trump repeated false claims that the outlet had received millions of dollars in funding from the US Agency for International Development. The payments were in fact subscription fees for the news outlet for US government departments.
Relations soured further last month after Business Insider published a story scrutinising Donald Trump Jr's business dealings and comparing him to Hunter Biden.
The story reportedly sparked anger in the White House, fuelling speculation that Mr Trump could seek to retaliate against Axel Springer through a potential federal investigation.
Politico also came under scrutiny from one pro-Trump Axel Springer board member, who branded journalists 'woke' in a row over the outlet's coverage of the war in Gaza.
Martin Varsavsky, a Spain-based entrepreneur, accused Politico of 'one-sided Hamas support'. He parted ways with the Axel Springer board just a week later.
The union plans come amid unrest in Politico's US newsroom about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver summaries of major political news stories.
US staff, who are represented by the PEN Guild union, have complained that the rollout of the new technology violates an agreement that states bosses must give 60 days' notice.
Increased use of AI has also stirred tensions at Business Insider, which this week sparked fury and a union backlash after it announced plans to lay off more than 20pc of staff. In the same memo bosses declared the outlet was going 'all-in' on AI.
Leaders of the nascent UK union are set to survey members about their concerns ahead of negotiations over a house agreement, with guarantees around AI likely to be included.
Staff have also raised concerns about a leadership vacuum in the newsroom. Politico, which publishes the popular Westminster newsletter Playbook, has been without a UK editor since Jack Blanchard relocated to Washington DC.
Nevertheless, sources close to the union insisted discussions with the company had so far been amicable and that they were aiming to develop positive relations.
A member of the Politico NUJ Chapel said: 'Members of the Politico UK newsroom are seeking recognition through the National Union of Journalists.
'The chapel looks forward to fruitful negotiations with the company and on working together for Politico's continuing success.'
Politico was founded in 2007 by media executive Robert Allbritton with the aim of capitalising on the rapid growth of online news.
It focuses on politics and policy in the US and internationally, while it also hosts a number of live events. The website was snapped up by Axel Springer in 2021 in a deal worth more than $1bn (£743m).
Politico and the NUJ have been contacted for comment.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Big central banks' forecasting lens gets fogged by US tariffs
By Naomi Rovnick LONDON (Reuters) -Unpredictable White House tariff rhetoric and its impact on currency markets, oil prices and the inflation outlook have put central banks across the world in a tight spot. The European Central Bank cut interest rates on Thursday and looks set to pause, Switzerland appears to be moving back towards negative rates, Japan's resolve to drop ultra-easy monetary policy is wobbling, and baffling U.S. data could keep the Federal Reserve in wait-and-see mode. Here's a look at where 10 developed-market central banks stand. 1/ SWITZERLAND The Swiss National Bank next meets on June 19, and traders see a one in three chance that it will pull rates back into negative territory from 0.25% currently after consumer prices fell for the first time in four years. The safe-haven Swiss franc has gained 10% against the dollar so far this year on geopolitical and market volatility. That's challenging Switzerland's export-heavy economy and cheapened imports, giving the SNB reasons to be wary about deflation. 2/ CANADA The Bank of Canada held rates at 2.75% on Wednesday and said another cut might be necessary if the economy weakened in the face of tariffs. The BoC has held rates for a second time in a row after an aggressive cutting cycle which shrunk rates by 225 basis points over nine months. Markets price in a roughly 85% chance of another quarter-point cut by September. 3/ NEW ZEALAND Money markets expect the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to hold steady on July 9 after a 25 bps rate cut to 3.25% in May to protect the China-focused economy. The RBNZ also warned that global trade uncertainties made future moves unclear. 4/ SWEDEN Sweden's central bank left its key rate unchanged at 2.25% in May but with on-again-off-again U.S. tariffs now having contributed to an economic contraction in the first quarter, the Riksbank has signaled more easing ahead. Its next rate decision is on June 18. 5/ EURO ZONE The ECB cut rates as expected on Thursday and kept all options on the table for its next meetings even as the case grows for a summer pause in its year-long easing cycle. It has lowered rates eight times in the last year, and markets price in one more rate cut by year-end. 6/ UNITED STATES The Fed, under consistent fire from President Donald Trump for resisting rate cuts, is expected to hold steady at its next June 18 meeting as tariff uncertainty makes wait-and-see its best option for now. With businesses spooked by Trump's aggressive trade talk, layoffs have increased, manufacturing orders have slumped and factory gate prices have surged, indicating stagflation risks that could moderate if the White House softens its stance. The Fed has held rates in the 4.25%-4.5% range since December, following 100 bps of cuts last year. Money markets price roughly 50 bps of further easing by year-end. 7/ BRITAIN The Bank of England, which has lowered borrowing costs slowly to accommodate bumpy inflation trends, cut rates by 25 bps to 4.25% last month and revealed an unexpected three-way split among its policymakers that signaled uncertainty ahead. Governor Andrew Bailey says the BoE was staying cautious amid unpredictable global trends. Traders expect no move in June and a 60% chance of a cut by August. 8/ AUSTRALIA Weak growth data and fears of Aussie commodities producers and miners taking big blows from a U.S.-China trade war means the Reserve Bank of Australia stands ready to ride to the rescue with rapid rate cuts. The RBA cut rates by 25 bps to 3.85% in May and traders see borrowing costs dropping to about 3% by year-end. 9/ NORWAY Norway's central bank has ditched plans to ease monetary policy as its oil-linked currency weakens amid global trade uncertainty, posing a fresh inflationary threat. The Norges Bank kept rates on hold at a 17-year high of 4.50% in May, and markets anticipate no change at the June 19 meeting. 10/ JAPAN The Bank of Japan, long expected to pursue rate hikes, faces a challenging mix of economic trends if tariffs hurt exports but inflation keeps rising. After the BoJ held borrowing costs steady at 0.5% in May, Governor Kazuo Ueda steadfastly refused to comment on the possible timing of the next increase. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
22 minutes ago
Harvard calls Trump's proclamation to block foreign students from attending university 'illegal retaliatory step'
Harvard University is calling President Donald Trump's proclamation to block foreign students from attending the university another "illegal retaliatory step." "This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration in violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights," Harvard said in a statement. "Harvard will continue to protect its international students." Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday afternoon, invoking the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the entry of noncitizens from entering the U.S. to study at Harvard for at least six months. Trump argued the institution is "no longer a trustworthy steward" of international students. The proclamation also directed the secretary of state to consider revoking the visas of foreign students already in the U.S. to study at Harvard. "I have determined that the entry of the class of foreign nationals described above is detrimental to the interests of the United States because, in my judgment, Harvard's conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers," the proclamation said. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security tried to revoke Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program -- which allows the school to sponsor foreign students – but a federal judge issued a temporary order blocking the move. Trump justified the sudden move Wednesday by claiming Harvard has refused to provide information about international students, has "extensive entanglements with foreign countries," and has discriminated in their admissions practices. The proclamation also claimed crime rates have "drastically risen" at the school and requires the government to probe the potential misconduct of foreign students. "These concerns have compelled the Federal Government to conclude that Harvard University is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs," the proclamation said.
Newsweek
24 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Trump Calls China's Xi
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. President Donald Trump had a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, state news outlet Xinhua reported. Trade tensions have reignited in recent days between China and the U.S., with both sides accusing each other of violating a previous tariff-slashing agreement made in Geneva. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
