Washington Post publisher and CEO Will Lewis said Saturday that he is stepping down, ending a turbulent tenure just three days after the newspaper laid off roughly one-third of its staff in one of the most dramatic restructurings in its history.
Lewis disclosed his departure in a brief two-paragraph email to employees, saying that after two years of transformation, “now is the right time for me to step aside.” The Post’s chief financial officer, Jeff D'Onofrio, has been appointed temporary publisher.
The leadership change comes in the wake of sweeping and controversial cost-cutting measures announced earlier this week, including the layoff of more than 300 journalists worldwide, the closure of several sections such as sports and books, and the shuttering of multiple bureaus across Asia and the Middle East. The cuts follow a period marked by significant talent departures and a steady decline in subscribers in recent years.
Lewis, who did not attend the meeting to announce the job cuts, sent an email to the Post’s staff, saying that “difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post.” In his farewell note, however, Lewis praised Bezos, writing, “The institution could not have had a better owner.”
British-born Lewis previously served as a top executive at The Wall Street Journal before taking over as publisher of The Post in January 2024. His tenure was marked by repeated upheaval, including newsroom layoffs and a failed reorganisation plan that led to the departure of former executive editor Sally Buzbee.
Lewis’s initial choice to replace Buzbee, Robert Winnett, withdrew from consideration after ethical concerns surfaced about actions taken by both Winnett and Lewis during their time working in England. The controversy centred on paying for information that produced major stories -- a practice widely considered unethical in American journalism. The current executive editor, Matt Murray, assumed the role shortly thereafter.
Lewis also faced internal criticism for his blunt assessments of newsroom performance. In one staff meeting, he told journalists that changes were necessary because not enough people were reading their work -- remarks that many employees found dismissive and demoralising.
The Washington Post Guild, the union representing newsroom staff, called Lewis’s departure long overdue.
“His legacy will be the attempted destruction of a great American journalism institution,” the Guild said in a statement. “But it’s not too late to save The Post. Jeff Bezos must immediately rescind these layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in its future.”
The Washington Post’s sweeping layoffs this week eliminated roughly one-third of its staff, resulting in the closure of its celebrated sports section, the dismantling of its photography desk, and deep cuts to metro and international coverage.
Among those affected was foreign affairs columnist and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's son, Ishaan Tharoor, who has been running a prominent newsletter on global politics, and the newspaper’s Delhi bureau chief Pranshu Verma.
The layoffs have drawn sharp criticism from staff and media observers, who argue that the reductions risk weakening the newspaper’s global footprint and editorial depth.
Source: India Today