The Washington Post owner, Jeff Bezos, has issued his first public statement since the mass lay-offs, saying, “The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity.
“Each and every day, your readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus.”
The billionaire faced intense backlash over the decision to cut more than 300 jobs, about 30% of its staff.
Perhaps most notably, the paper’s own guild warned that the newsroom is being hollowed out at the expense of credibility, reach and mission.
In a stark statement, the Washington Post Guild said the layoffs were “not inevitable,” noting that in just three years the workforce has shrunk by roughly 400 people.
“Continuing to eliminate workers only stands to weaken the newspaper, drive away readers and undercut The Post’s mission: to hold power to account without fear or favour and provide critical information for communities across the region, country and world,” the statement said.
The Guild said it “vehemently opposes any more staff reductions,” calling on readers to stand in solidarity with laid-off colleagues and those who remain, and urging supporters to attend a #SaveThePost rally.
It concluded that if Bezos is no longer willing to invest in the mission that has defined the paper for generations, “then The Post deserves a steward that will.”
Will Lewis
Editor steps down
Over the weekend, the paper’s editor, Will Lewis, announced he had resigned.
The BBC reports that in a message to staff, Lewis said that it was the right time to leave and that “difficult decisions” had been made to ensure the paper’s future.
Lewis thanked Bezos, writing, “All – after two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside. I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.”
A former Dow Jones chief executive and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, Lewis, 54, was appointed to the role at The Post in 2023.
Jeff D’Onofrio, who joined as The Post‘s chief financial officer last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO.
In his own statement, D’Onofrio said, “customer data will drive our decisions, sharpening our edge in delivering what is most valuable to our audiences.”
Will Lewis just sent a note to staff at The Washington Post announcing that he is stepping down as publisher. pic.twitter.com/hNTf6wyrDk
— Matt Viser (@mviser) February 7, 2026
GoFundMe for fired Post staff
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support international employees hired locally or from subsidiaries outside the US – and therefore not eligible for protections afforded to members of the Guild, who may be facing a sudden loss of housing, visas or benefits.
“Among those laid off are reporters in war zones living without electricity, breaking news hub reporters and editors in Seoul and London who cover atrocities around the world every day, correspondents who upended their lives to move overseas just a few months ago, and indispensable local staff without whom our journalism would be impossible,” organiser Michelle Lee wrote on the Guild’s page on Saturday.
Main image: Jeff Bezos