‚Difficult decisions have been taken‘<\/b>
\nThe announced Saturday that publisher and CEO Will Lewis resigned \u2014 just three days after the outlet laid off hundreds of its employees.
The confirmed in a statement posted to X that Lewis, who had served in the dual role since January 2024, had already been succeeded in an acting capacity by Chief Financial Officer Jeff D\u2019Onofrio, \u201ceffective immediately.\u201d The statement did not mention the layoffs or elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Lewis\u2019s exit.
\u201cThe Post\u2019s resolute commitment to writing the first rough draft of history anchors and imprints its future,\u201d D\u2019Onofrio, the former CEO of microblogging platform Tumblr, said in the statement. \u201cI am honored to become part of charting that future and to take the lead in securing both the legacy and business of this fierce, storied American institution.\u201d
The publication\u2019s owner, billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, said in the same statement that The \u201chas an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity.\u201d
\u201cEach and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus,\u201d Bezos continued.
The outlet did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation\u2019s request for comment.
The is announcing Jeff D\u2019Onofrio as its acting Publisher and CEO, effective immediately. pic.twitter.com\/38eGFkSXjL
\u2014 Communications (@WashPostComms) February 7, 2026
\u201c[A]fter two years of transformation at The , now is the right time for me to step aside,\u201d Lewis wrote in a memo to staff, according to multiple outlets. \u201cI want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.\u201d
\u201cDuring my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,\u201d the departing publisher and CEO continued.
\u201cWe are ending a hard week of change with more change,\u201d D\u2019Onofrio wrote in a separate memo sent to staff. \u201cThis is a challenging time across all media organizations, and The Post is unfortunately no exception. I\u2019ve had the privilege of helping chart the course of disrupters and cultural stalwarts alike.\u201d
\u201cCustomer data will drive our decisions, sharpening our edge in delivering what is most valuable to our audiences,\u201d he continued.
Will Lewis just sent a note to staff at The announcing that he is stepping down as publisher. pic.twitter.com\/hNTf6wyrDk
\u2014 Matt Viser (@mviser) February 7, 2026
The publication laid off about a third of its employees Wednesday, eliminating entire sections and bureaus. Notably, Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson confirmed on X she was one of those laid off, writing in a viral post that she found out she lost her job while \u201cin the middle of a warzone.\u201d
\u201cI have no words. I\u2019m devastated,\u201d Johnson added in the post which received nearly a quarter million \u201clikes\u201d on X in just three days.
The Guild, a union which represents the outlet\u2019s employees, slammed the layoffs and called them \u201cnot inevitable\u201d in a statement posted Wednesday to X.
\u201cA newsroom cannot be hollowed out without consequences of its credibility, its reach and its future,\u201d the union\u2019s statement reads. \u201cContinuing to eliminate workers only stands to weaken the newspaper, drive away readers and undercut The Post\u2019s mission: to hold power to account without fear or factor and provide critical information for communities across the region, country and world.\u201d
Members of the outlet\u2019s tech union, the Tech Guild, notably hung up flyers throughout Lewis\u2019s Washington neighborhood the day after the layoffs took effect. Each of the flyers featured a picture of Lewis, his name and title, and the phrase \u201cwanted for destroying The .\u201d The flyers also contained quick response (QR) codes enabling members of the public to petition the outlet\u2019s management to stop the layoffs.
Lewis was reportedly seen Thursday at a pre-Super Bowl red carpet event in San Francisco. It was not immediately clear if he would continue to support the outlet in any leadership position after his resignation.<\/p>\n