- The Washington Post’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate has sparked a staff backlash.
- The paper reported owner Jeff Bezos made the call and that a Harris endorsement was planned.
- The news sparked fears of management interference and potential self-censorship in a tight race.
Washington Post editorial staff are in revolt after the paper reported that it wouldn’t endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in 40 years and that its owner Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, made the decision.
Editor at large Robert Kagan, who has warned in columns of a “Trump Dictatorship,” has resigned, Semafor reported, and insiders predicted more would follow.
A member of the opinion department, speaking anonymously to protect their job, said the editorial board was in the dark on the decision until Friday.
“People are furious. It’s frightful when a billionaire does not have the nerve to stand up to Donald Trump,” this person said.
“I’ve seen a lot of angst; people are upset,” another Washington Post insider said.
Publisher and CEO Will Lewis announced the decision in a Friday column, saying he wanted readers to make up their own minds, helped by the paper’s “non-partisan news” and “reported views from our opinion team.” He said the paper has refrained from endorsing candidates in the past.
Separately, the newspaper published a story citing anonymous sources saying editorial page staffers had already drafted a Harris endorsement that had yet to be published.
The newspaper’s editorial guild posted a statement saying Lewis’ decision raised concerns that management interfered with the editorial department and readers were canceling their subscriptions.
“This decision undercuts the work of our members at a time when we should be building our readers’ trust, not losing it,” the union wrote.
Some people posted on X that they canceled their subscriptions in response to the news.
Retired WaPo executive editor Marty Baron also posted on X, calling the decision “cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.”
A spokesperson for the Washington Post referred to Lewis’ statement and declined to comment on any follow-up questions. A Bezos rep didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The decision has stoked fears that news outlets are censoring themselves out of fear of retaliation by former President Donald Trump, who has publicly called for revenge against his enemies. The Los Angeles Times endorsed statewide candidates but declined to endorse a presidential candidate this year, prompting three staff resignations.
The decision also reflects the challenges of operating a media company in a deeply divided era where trust in the media is eroding.
“A person could make interesting arguments on both sides of whether today, a newspaper should endorse a political candidate or whether readers should care,” Jessica Lessin, The Information’s editor in chief, said on X. “But you cannot argue changes in policy” at the Post and the Los Angeles Times “within two weeks of an election — as the polls tip slightly more one to side — are normal or reasonable.”
The Post and the Times are among a handful of news outlets, in addition to Time and The Boston Globe, that have been acquired in recent years by billionaires who made their money in other areas. The recent endorsement controversies may throw some cold water on the billionaire-as-newspaper-savior dream.
Bezos and Trump have feuded over the years. The Post saw subscriptions soar as it pursued aggressive reporting on Trump’s administration and launched the advertising tagline, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Trump has mocked Bezos and the Washington Post, calling him “Jeff Bozo.” But Bezos shared words of support after the July shooting at a Trump rally.
Many CEOs have declined to speak publicly on the razor-thin presidential race. Top executives have historically taken the stance that wading into politics can be bad for business, lest they alienate part of their customer base.
The endorsement upheaval is the latest for the paper and Lewis, who faced scrutiny when he replaced top editor Sally Buzbee — and then his choice of replacement backed out. Lewis also has faced questions over his past role in a UK phone hacking scandal.
