POLITICO announces Jack Blanchard as managing editor and author of flagship Washington Playbook

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POLITICO today announced that Jack Blanchard will take charge of POLITICO’s Playbook as managing editor and author. Currently serving as POLITICO’s UK Editor, Blanchard will relocate to Washington, D.C., to helm the most indispensable tipsheet that delivers the key information that Washington Insiders rely on to navigate their day.

The next evolution of Playbook will build on the most successful morning newsletter franchise in political journalism, and further elevate the newsletter’s mission to be the most interesting, essential, timely and engaging guide to the power dynamics shaping policy making and politics in Washington. First launched in 2007, POLITICO’s Playbook has grown into a global franchise, with editions in 13 regional outposts that inform more than 1.4 million power players around the world.

Blanchard’s background and experience in launching and editing the tremendously successful London Playbook newsletter in Westminster makes him uniquely positioned to reimagine the Washington-focused Playbook for a new Washington. Blanchard will bring fresh energy and perspective, while honoring Playbook’s legacy, ensuring it remains the go-to resource for political power players and influencers.

As audiences look to Washington, D.C., to comprehend one of the most consequential periods of political change for both the United States and across the globe, Blanchard will work with —and draw from — key contributions from POLITICO’s Chief Playbook Correspondent Eugene Daniels, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, and the unmatched expertise of POLITICO’s three top Washington bureau chiefs: Rachael Bade (Capitol Hill), Jonathan Martin (Politics) and Dasha Burns (White House).

Blanchard will leverage the expertise of these top journalists to take readers inside the most powerful rooms in Washington, providing unparalleled insights of the inner workings of the political landscape and buzzy tips that drive the real conversation in the nation’s capital.

“Jack’s leadership of Playbook comes at a pivotal moment for Washington’s power set, who are about to experience disruption and governing challenges that we haven’t seen in decades. His mandate is to help our readers navigate this new Washington with a fast-paced, fun-to-read, information-packed guide to the day ahead,” said John Harris, global editor-in-chief of POLITICO. “We intend to make Playbook a vibrant, rolling conversation between our audience and POLITICO's most deeply sourced and impact-driving journalists, across coverage beats like Congress and the White House, the courts, the influence industry, and the personalities that live in each of them.”

Since joining POLITICO in 2017, Blanchard has been instrumental in its success, founding London Playbook and navigating readers through the political turbulence of Brexit and the revolving doors of British Prime Ministers. Blanchard’s reporting has taken him to major global gatherings, including the G7, G20 and NATO summits. He has accompanied British prime ministers to the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, offering readers a front-row seat to international diplomacy. His ability to connect the dots between complex policy shifts and their real-world implications with clarity, wit, and insight has made him a trusted voice for POLITICO’s audience worldwide.

“If you asked any political journalist in the world where they’d want to be at the start of 2025, it would be here in Washington, D.C.,” said Blanchard. “Playbook completely changed how reporters covered major political stories, so to go from being an avid reader to firing up the coffee machine and taking up Playbook duties again at such a pivotal moment for America and the wider world is unbelievably exciting.”

Blanchard assumes leadership of Playbook on Jan. 20 and will take the stage tomorrow at Washington’s Union Station for POLITICO Playbook’s First 100 Days event featuring Speaker Mike Johnson and other top political power players for a morning of candid conversations and exclusive insights into the forces that will define Washington's next chapter. To attend, register here.

“Jack Blanchard — a Brit who is a POLITICO veteran and one of the most impressive journalists I have met — has an uncommon gift for understanding the people, ideas, and distinctive rhythms that animate political communities,” Harris concluded.

About POLITICO:

POLITICO is the global authority on the intersection of politics, policy and power. It is the most robust news operation and information service in the world specializing in politics and policy, which informs the most influential audience with insight, edge and authority. Founded in 2007, POLITICO has grown to a team of more than 1,100 journalists and media professionals across North America, and Europe. In October 2021, POLITICO was acquired by, and is a subsidiary of, Axel Springer SE.

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