The Washington Post Building at One Franklin Square Building, Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
(EPICSTORIAN) – The Washington Post announced on Tuesday that it has laid off approximately 100 employees, mainly in its business division, marking another setback for the storied publication.
These layoffs, which constitute about 4% of the workforce, come amid growing financial troubles and a series of resignations by prominent journalists.
A spokesperson for the Post described the layoffs as part of an ongoing transformation. “The Washington Post is continuing its transformation to meet the needs of the industry, build a more sustainable future, and reach audiences where they are,” the representative said.
Financial struggles have plagued the newspaper for years. In May 2024, publisher and CEO Will Lewis revealed that the Post had lost $77 million in the previous year. “To speak candidly, we are in a hole, and we have been for some time,” Lewis admitted during a meeting.
The Washington Post Lost digital subscribers
These financial challenges deepened in November 2024 when owner Jeff Bezos controversially blocked the Post from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
The decision, breaking a decades-long tradition, led to the resignation of three editorial board members and angered subscribers. In the weeks following the announcement, the Post lost over 250,000 digital subscribers—roughly 10% of its base, a CNN reporter investigated .
Prominent departures soon followed. Managing Editor Matea Gold left for The New York Times, while political reporters Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, and Tyler Pager joined other major outlets. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes also resigned after the Post refused to publish her satirical cartoon of Bezos.
Bezos defended his actions, stating at the DealBook Summit that endorsements do little to influence elections. “The advantage I bring to the Post is when they need financial resources, I’m available,” Bezos quipped, describing himself as “the doting parent.”
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With the publication reeling, Bezos has sought to mend relations with political leaders, dining with Donald Trump and producing a documentary with Melania Trump as executive producer, signaling an unusual alliance.
