The Washington Post Guild has called for Jeff Bezos to sell the publication following CEO Will Lewis' departure on Saturday. The union described Lewis' exit as "long overdue", saying his legacy would be "the attempted destruction of a great American journalism institution". Lewis left days after sweeping layoffs affected hundreds of reporters across sports, audio, international, books and DC metro sections. Laid-off journalists celebrated his departure on social media, with former culture writer Jada Yuan calling herself "thrilled" by the news. The union demanded Bezos immediately rescind the layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in its future. Unionised employees had held a "Save the Post" rally earlier this week, emphasising risks to press freedom if legacy publications like the Post cannot continue operating.

Will Lewis has resigned as publisher and CEO of the Washington Post after two years, with Chief Financial Officer Jeff D'Onofrio appointed as acting publisher. The announcement follows mass layoffs on Wednesday that cut hundreds of journalists, many covering foreign affairs. Lewis's tenure was marked by buyouts and shrinking coverage at the newspaper owned by Jeff Bezos since 2013. Employees and supporters protested outside the Post's offices on Saturday following the drastic cuts. In his first public comments since the layoffs, Bezos said readers provide "a roadmap to success" through data showing "what is valuable and where to focus". D'Onofrio previously served as CEO of Tumblr and held leadership positions at Raptive, Google, Yahoo and Major League Baseball.

Jeff Bezos's relationship with The Washington Post has dramatically shifted since he purchased the paper for $250 million in 2013. Initially, his ownership was celebrated: he invested heavily in staff, technology and coverage, and the paper became profitable during Trump's first presidency. Now the Post is reporting significant losses—$77 million in 2023 and $100 million in 2024—leading to major cuts this week. The paper may have overhired, peaking at 1,100 staff in early 2021, whilst digital advertising revenue declined. Bezos's decision in October 2024 not to endorse a presidential candidate triggered a mass subscription exodus. Editor Matt Murray's memo announcing cuts suggests the paper may shift its editorial approach, stating it has "too often write[n] from one perspective, for one slice of the audience." The enthusiasm Bezos once displayed has apparently faded, leaving staff uncertain about the paper's direction.