Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos sparked anger among his staff on Wednesday after he issued a new order in the opinion section to begin defending “personal freedom and the free market.”
In a announcement Wednesday, Bezos said the Opinion section would not allow criticism of these two pillars as it is critical of America's success, urging opinion editor David Shipley to step down. A small number of staff at the Post threatened to leave Bezos dare to make changes to news section coverage.
Post's chief economics reporter Jeff Stein said the new announcement was a “massive violation” of the opinion section, and that Bezos threatened to quit, saying he would “interfere” with the news section. (Related: Jeff Bezos bangs the Washington Post and offers faint hope for the media)
“Jeff Bezos' massive invasion of today's Washington Post opinion section – no clear objections will be made public or tolerated there.
Jeff Bezos' massive invasion of today's Washington Post opinion section – no clear objections will be made public or tolerated there
I still don't feel an invasion of my journalism in the news of the press, but Bezos… pic.twitter.com/7hzwcudcvv
– Jeff Stein (@jstein_wapo) February 26, 2025
Post's military affairs reporter Dan Lamote said he “resolvedly said he would not shift.” [his] Department of Defense reporting and other issues related to his beat.
“Everyone who regularly reads that we landed a series of scoops on the recent Department of Defense. I haven't changed my coverage. That's my job. I don't expect it to change. But if it should be said otherwise, I'd need Plan B,” Lamothe said.
Those who read regularly know that we have recently landed a series of scoops about the Department of Defense. I haven't changed my reporting. That's my job.
I don't expect to change. But I should be told that I am not, I need a plan B.
– Danlamothe (@danlamothe) February 26, 2025
Paper White House reporter Dan Diamond and video producer Dave Jorgenson committed a similar threat by vowing to “speak and leave” if Bezos “interfers with” their work.
“My colleagues and I work to write news+ that strong people are accountable. These are the top stories on our homepage now, one of which I am working on. Our newsroom work continues. No one told me what to write. If that changes, I will speak up and leave,” Diamond said.
My colleagues and I work to write news + powerful people accountable + write stories.
These are the top stories on our homepage at the moment, one of which I am working on.
Our newsroom work continues.
No one told me what to write. If that changes, I will speak up and leave.
– Dan Diamond (@ddiamond.bsky.social)) February 26th, 2025, 12:06pm
If Bezos is blocking my work on the news side, reflecting Jeff (Stein), I'm out.
– Dave Jorgenson (@davejorgenson.bsky.social)) February 26th, 2025, 11:11am
Washington Post columnist Philip Bump and former columnist Jen Rubin, who previously worked at the Post, were not satisfied with Bezos' new direction in the opinion section.
“What is the actual f*ck?” Bump wrote to Bsky.
What actual fuck
– Philip Bump (@pbump.com)) February 26th, 2025, 9:36am
Rubin defendant By “destroying” the post, Bezos “sucks” on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, overseers of the government's Department of Efficiency.
Bezos said the columns in the opinion section should reflect how freedom drives America's creativity, invention and prosperity.
“We write every day to support and defend two pillars of individual freedom and the free market,” Bezos said in X. Our country did not come here by being typical. And much of America's success was freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical, minimizes coercion, is practical, and promotes creativity, invention and prosperity. ”
I shared this memo with the Washington Post team this morning.
I am writing to let you know about changes that will come to our opinion page.
We write every day with the support and defense of two pillars: personal freedom and free market. We'll cover other topics as well…
– Jeffbezos (@jeffbezos) February 26, 2025
Shakeup in the opinion section is because Bezos' relationship with President Donald Trump appears to have improved since the 2024 election. Amazon executives, who were solid critics of the president during their first term, dined with Trump and Elon Musk at Mar Arago in December, donating $1 million to the president's first fund through Amazon.
Bezos also angered his staff in October when the paper decided not to support former President Kamala Harris ahead of the election. He defended the paper that he would not add support based on the lack of media credibility.
The post showed that they have lost 150,000 subscriptions since their decision not to support the candidate, and that some have cancelled their subscriptions following a new announcement from Bezos. The paper slowly removed dozens of staff from the business side in early 2025.
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