US State Department Orders Pause on Media Subscriptions

The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File photo
The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File photo
TT
20

US State Department Orders Pause on Media Subscriptions

The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File photo
The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File photo

The US State Department said on Thursday it has ordered a pause on all of its media subscriptions as part of government-wide efforts by the Trump administration to cut spending it deems as unnecessary.

President Donald Trump has put tech billionaire Elon Musk in charge of a government downsizing team, DOGE, that has swept through federal agencies searching for spending cuts as part of Trump's overhaul and shrinking of the US government.

"The Department has paused all non-mission critical contracts for media subscriptions that are not academic or professional journals," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

"Bureaus and posts can request an exemption with justification as to why the access is mission critical, how it aligns with the Secretary’s priorities, and how it impacts the safety, security, and welfare of the workforce." The State Department did not say how long the pause would last.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said all government spending must align with Trump's America First priorities.

The Washington Post, which first reported the order on media subscriptions on Wednesday, also cited a State Department memo that directed staff to prioritize the termination of contracts with the Economist, the New York Times, Politico, Bloomberg News, the Associated Press and Reuters.

The State Department did not respond to a query about the memo, which Reuters was unable to independently confirm.

A Reuters spokesperson said: "As a matter of policy, Reuters does not comment on commercial agreements."

New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said: "Public officials, just like private sector Americans, need reliable information to do their jobs. The government is obviously free to cancel any subscriptions it likes. But the main result of blacklisting independent news is that these agencies and offices will know far less about what’s happening in the world. It’s hard to imagine how that will serve the people of the United States."

A spokesperson for the Economist said on Thursday: “We know that diplomats around the world value our rigorous reporting, in-depth analysis and global perspective. At a time of rapid upheaval, we believe our fact-based journalism is more essential than ever.”

The other media companies mentioned in the memo reported by the Washington Post did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Reuters' parent company Thomson Reuters separately said last week that Trump and Musk had "inaccurately represented" its business with the US Department of Defense, after they publicly criticized a Pentagon contract with a division of the company to work on cyber threats.

Trump has long criticized media companies over their coverage of him and his policies.

The president said on Tuesday he will block the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One over its policy to continue referring to the Gulf of Mexico despite an executive order he signed in January directing his administration to change the name to the Gulf of America.

In response, the AP said it will refer to the Gulf by its original name to ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to readers around the world, while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.

The White House in early February ordered the canceling of subscriptions to news outlet Politico after it became a target of criticism for receiving payments from the US Agency for International Development for subscriptions to its premium news service POLITICO Pro.



Iran Turns to Moscow and Beijing to Thwart ‘Snapback’ Sanctions Threat

Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
TT
20

Iran Turns to Moscow and Beijing to Thwart ‘Snapback’ Sanctions Threat

Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)

Iran is turning to Russia and China in a bid to head off the potential reimposition of international sanctions, amid escalating tensions over its nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held talks with his Chinese and Russian counterparts to discuss the future of the nuclear accord and the possibility that the European troika could trigger the “snapback” mechanism.

Iranian state media reported on Monday that Araghchi arrived in Beijing at the head of an official delegation to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign ministers. The trip comes as debate intensifies within Iran over the stances of Moscow and Beijing, particularly in the aftermath of the recent conflict between Iran and Israel.

Speaking at a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stressed that Gulf security remains a priority for China.

“Araghchi’s visit follows an official invitation from the Chinese Foreign Minister,” he said, adding that the Iranian diplomat will hold bilateral meetings Tuesday on the sidelines of the gathering.

Baghaei emphasized Tehran’s ongoing coordination with both Russia and China, who are parties to the nuclear deal.

“Russia and China have consistently expressed their readiness to play a constructive role in the process related to Iran’s nuclear file, and this continues,” he noted. “We have longstanding, friendly relations with both countries and a strategic partnership.”

Addressing reports that Moscow has privately urged Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, Baghaei said: “We have not received any specific proposal from Russia on this matter.”

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed Iran’s nuclear issue with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, alongside other bilateral and international topics.

Meanwhile, Moscow on Sunday denounced a report claiming President Vladimir Putin had urged Iran to accept a deal with the United States that would bar it from enriching uranium. Russia’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the claim as “defamation” aimed at inflaming tensions over the Iranian nuclear program.

According to the American outlet Axios, sources familiar with the issue said Putin recently pressed Iran to agree to “zero enrichment.”

But Russia rebuffed the report as baseless, insisting its position is well known: "Invariably and repeatedly, we have emphasized the necessity of resolving the crisis concerning Iran's nuclear program exclusively through political and diplomatic means, and expressed our willingness to help find mutually acceptable solutions," the ministry statement read.

It added that Moscow stands ready to help broker mutually acceptable solutions.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has strengthened its ties with Tehran. While publicly backing Iran’s right to enrich uranium, Putin has reportedly adopted a tougher line behind closed doors following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.

According to European and Israeli officials, Moscow has encouraged Tehran to accept a “zero enrichment” compromise and shared this position with Israeli authorities. “We know this is what Putin told the Iranians,” a senior Israeli official confirmed.

Last week, Putin is said to have relayed his stance in calls with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.