Popular American journalist Ben White dies suddenly aged 52 as his heartbroken partner reveals he had ‘brief illness’
A prolific financial journalist with a career spanning more than three decades has died after a ‘short illness’.
Ben White, 52, died on Saturday. Before his death, he was Politico’s chief economics correspondent and a regular contributor to CNBC.
The veteran journalist’s partner, Sara Schneider, announced the news in a post on White’s account on X, formerly Tweetwhere he had over 100,000 followers.
“I am heartbroken to tell you that Ben passed away on Saturday, June 1, after a short illness,” Schneider wrote.
“He loved his family, being a journalist, supporting the Yankees and the Commanders and much more. He will forever be in my heart and missed by so many.”
Prominent financial and policy reporter Ben White, 52, died Saturday after a ‘brief illness’
White’s partner, Sara Schneider, announced the news of his death in a post on X, formerly Twitter
Before joining Politico in 2009, White earned praise for his coverage of the Great Recession during his tenure at The New York Times.
The 52-year-old was US banking editor and Wall Street correspondent for the Financial Times between 2005 and 2007.
His byline has surfaced in other publications, including The Washington Post, where he served as a staff writer for nearly a decade.
White worked at Politico until September 2023, writing the outlet’s “Morning Money” column, which focused on finance and public policy.
After other journalists heard of his death, they took to social media to share fond memories of their friend and colleague.
Washington Post reporter Dan Diamond described him as “kind and generous in an industry that often isn’t.”
“The editors turned to him as a model at Politico — he became a newsroom legend — and he always supported me as I tried to find my footing,” Diamond wrote, adding that he wished White could handle the “flood of tributes.” to see.
Politico’s Jack Shafer called White “a great comrade, an excellent journalist and the coup of sports fans.”
The 52-year-old was Politico’s chief economics correspondent and a regular contributor to CNBC before his death
Before joining Politico, White turned heads with his award-winning reporting on the Great Recession in The New York Times
White was U.S. banking editor and Wall Street correspondent for the Financial Times from 2005 to 2007 and had bylines at The Washington Post
Schneider described her late partner as ‘the sweetest, funniest, loving and most complicated man I have ever known’ in a moving tribute
Chuck Todd, chief political analyst for NBC News, said he was “at a loss for words.”
‘Ben is a former Hotliner and was, quite frankly, one of the good ones, both as a person and as a journalist. I am so sorry for his family,” he wrote.
Political reporter Marc Caputo recalled working with White at The Messenger and Politico.
“Over the years, whenever I had an economic question, Ben was an always available resource,” he wrote. ‘We were friends. This hurts.’
Author and financial policy expert Joshua Rosner described the 52-year-old as a “gentleman” and “one of the last of a breed of journalists who fought for the truth and were always a friend of goodwill and decency.”
“I will miss him dearly, but will always cherish my memories of him,” Rosner wrote before turning his attention to White’s grieving family.
“I know that there are no words sufficient to reach your sorrow or that of the boys, but I know that when the tears disappear, you will be left with pride and a smile in the memory of such a rare person,” said he.
Schneider posted a tribute to her personally Instagram bill on Tuesday.
“I’m so sad to say that my love Ben passed away on June 1st,” she wrote. ‘I’ll never forget him. The sweetest, funniest, loving and most complicated man I have ever known. Will love him forever.”
White is survived by his partner and three sons.
