Billionaire Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, once challenged NBC News to confront President Donald Trump, as recounted by former NBC News chairman Andy Lack.
Bezos has faced criticism for allegedly aligning himself with Trump to appease the administration, and he notably attended Trump’s inauguration in 2025. Observers believe that Bezos might be focusing on his own interests in Trump’s second term. Meanwhile, Lack mentioned that Bezos had a different stance during Trump’s initial presidency.
“At a Vanity Fair Oscar party in Los Angeles in 2018, Bezos posed a direct question: ‘When are you going to stand up to Trump?’ I was surprised and asked him what he meant. He insisted I shouldn’t let Trump get a free pass, which caught me off guard. I attempted to disagree but he seemed to dismiss it and moved on,” Lack discussed.
Lack later reflected on how, when Bezos purchased the Washington Post for $250 million, it seemed to many like a savvy move, potentially ushering the paper into the digital age. Initially, there was hope for positive changes, yet perspectives have shifted.
“Now, we’re left bewildered and frustrated by the arrogance of one of the world’s richest men. He’s fired over 300 employees – that’s a shocking leadership choice,” he wrote.
In 2024, Bezos made headlines when he unexpectedly prevented the paper from endorsing Kamala Harris for president, just before the election, after the editorial board criticized Trump. This decision led to a sharp decline in membership and prompted several resignations. The situation worsened when Bezos announced plans to revamp the paper’s editorial focus to emphasize “free markets and individual freedom.” Recently, the paper let go of a significant portion of its workforce in a harsh layoff.
While the newspaper declined to comment, Bezos could not be reached for immediate response.
Lack, who has himself faced scrutiny over handling sexual misconduct allegations at NBC, has been involved in controversies regarding his leadership style and decisions during critical news investigations.
Ultimately, this all adds to the narrative surrounding Bezos’s ownership of the Washington Post as discontent simmers among staff and observers.
