Will Lewis admits ‘tough decisions’ during his rocky, two-year tenure
Published on February 8, 2026
The CEO of the Washington Post has announced his resignation days after the newspaper A third of the workforce was cut.
CEO and publisher Will Lewis shared the decision in a message to staff on Saturday, which was later posted on X by the paper’s White House bureau chief.
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“After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” Lewis said.
The Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, said Chief Financial Officer Jeff D’Onofrio will take over the role immediately.
Lewis’s two-year tenure at the influential US newspaper was marked by turmoil, including several rounds of layoffs and Questions on editorial freedom. Those concerns intensified after the publication announced 2024 presidential approval will not be givenCritics said the move was aimed at appeasing then-candidate Donald Trump.
The Post lost hundreds of thousands of subscribers and lost $100 million in revenue in 2024 in the wake of that decision.
Lewis also scrutinized the 2024 over Trying to bring on his former colleagueBritish journalist Robert Winnett, as top editor, reports alleging that some of his past reporting relied on fraudulently obtained records. In the end Vinnet did not take the stand.
Lewis was absent from a staff meeting last week where employees were told they would be notified by email if they lost their jobs. Hundreds of journalists were among those made redundant, including the paper’s entire Middle East roster and its Ukraine-based correspondent.
In a note to staff, Lewis said “difficult decisions” had been made during his leadership to secure the paper’s long-term sustainability.
‘The Destruction of Great American Journalism’
The Washington Post Guild, the union representing staff members, has long criticized Lewis’ exit.
“His legacy will be an attempt to destroy one of America’s great journalistic institutions,” the guild said in a statement. “But it’s not too late to save The Post. Jeff Bezos should immediately reverse these layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in the future.”
Bezos made no mention of Lewis when announcing D’Onofrio as publisher, saying the new leadership is poised to lead the paper into “an exciting and thriving next chapter.”
“The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity,” Bezos said. “Every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. Data tells us what’s valuable and where to focus.”