Washington Post chief executive steps down after mass lay-offs

February 8, 2026

The Washington Post's CEO William Lewis is resigning just days after implementing layoffs that eliminated one-third of the newspaper's staff, including entire departments covering sports, international news, and all Middle East reporters. Lewis, who took the position in 2023 after leading the Wall Street Journal, faced intense backlash from both employees and subscribers while attempting to address the paper's financial struggles. The layoffs sparked protests at the newspaper's headquarters and drew condemnation from former leadership.

Who is affected

Approximately one-third of the Washington Post's workforce (laid off employees)
The newspaper's entire Middle East staff
The Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent
Sports and international news departments
William Lewis (stepping down as CEO)
Jeff D'Onofrio (assuming acting publisher and CEO role)
Matt Murray (executive editor overseeing post-cut operations)
Washington Post subscribers
Jeff Bezos (facing criticism as owner)
Hundreds of protesters (employees and supporters)

What action is being taken

William Lewis is stepping down as chief executive
Jeff D'Onofrio is serving as acting publisher and CEO
The Washington Post is cutting one-third of its workforce
The newspaper is scaling back coverage of sport and international news

Why it matters

This represents a significant reduction in journalistic capacity at one of America's most prestigious newspapers, particularly affecting international and investigative reporting that has been central to the Post's identity. The cuts undermine the newspaper's ability to cover critical global events, as evidenced by eliminating all Middle East coverage staff and the Ukraine correspondent during ongoing major conflicts. Former executive editor Marty Baron's characterization of these as "among the darkest days" in the organization's history reflects concerns about the erosion of independent journalism and the Post's historic role as a watchdog institution, particularly as the newspaper continues experiencing financial losses and subscriber departures.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC