The State Department will no longer pay for subscriptions to foreign and domestic news outlets under a new directive.

“The department has paused all non-mission critical contracts for media subscriptions,” a State Department spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.

Subscriptions to academic and professional journals will be unaffected. Department offices and agencies will be required to file requests to maintain or renew media subscriptions.

“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 spokesperson told Reuters.

The change comes as the Trump administration cracks down on wasteful government spending.

Earlier this month, the administration criticized $8 million worth of subscriptions to Politico Pro by the U.S. Agency for International Development, but the news outlet said the subscriptions did not constitute a government subsidy.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.