In what a former editor called "one of the darkest days" in its storied history, the Washington Post announced Wednesday it would eliminate roughly one-third of its staff and shutter international bureaus from Jerusalem to Europe.
The cuts took effect immediately. The newspaper's sports department will close entirely. Popular features like the "Post Reports" podcast have been suspended. Dozens of correspondents stationed worldwide will lose their positions, with bureaus in Europe and the Middle East – including Jerusalem – shutting down permanently.
Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray delivered the news via Zoom, telling employees they would soon receive emails with one of two subject lines. One would announce the end of their tenure. The other would confirm continued employment. Murray acknowledged to staff that the reductions would create "shock to the system" but insisted the changes were necessary to build a newspaper capable of renewed growth. The publication would refocus on national news, investigative journalism, and health and wellness content, he explained.
The international coverage cuts have triggered particular alarm. With the world navigating constant upheaval, critics warn that the newspaper's ability to provide rigorous foreign reporting will be severely compromised. "The Washington Post is taking several tough but decisive steps today for our future, in what represents a significant reorganization across the company," a spokesman said in an official statement.
Multiple factors drove the downsizing. Subscriber losses have accelerated at an alarming pace. While the newspaper has never publicly disclosed subscription figures, estimates suggest approximately two million readers remain. Competition with The New York Times, which has successfully diversified its revenue streams, has intensified pressure on the publication.
Owner Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and billionaire, has drawn sharp criticism in recent months. The newspaper declined to endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election against Donald Trump. Editorial changes at the opinion section were widely interpreted as attempts to curry favor with the incoming Trump administration.
Marty Baron, who served as editor-in-chief until recently, issued a blistering statement. "This is one of the darkest days in the history of one of the world's great news organizations," he wrote. "The Washington Post's ambitions will be sharply curtailed, its talented and courageous staff will be further depleted, and the public will be deprived of fact-based reporting from the field, in our communities and around the world, that is needed now more than ever."
Baron acknowledged the broader crisis facing the media industry but placed blame squarely on Bezos for exacerbating the newspaper's troubles through "wrong decisions."
The Washington Post union addressed the public directly with a stark message for Bezos. "Enough is enough," the union declared. "Without the Washington Post staff, there is no Washington Post."
