More than 300 Washington Post journalists were laid off recently, accounting for 30% of the staff and severely impacting sports, local, and international coverage. Former employees like Nilo Tabrizy and Karen Attiah have voiced grief and disappointment over Jeff Bezos's management, who bought the paper in 2013. The cuts have sparked protests and questions about the billionaire's commitment to journalism.
The Washington Post, a nearly 150-year-old journalistic institution, is in deep crisis after laying off more than 300 employees, including its entire team of Middle East correspondents and editors. Nilo Tabrizy, an investigative reporter specializing in Iran, was among those affected and described the atmosphere as one of widespread grief: “Everybody is grieving. They didn’t have the dignity to look us in the eye.” The layoffs were announced in an 8:30 a.m. virtual meeting, followed by impersonal emails, while publisher Will Lewis attended a Super Bowl-related event.
Karen Attiah, former global opinions editor hired in 2014 shortly after Bezos's purchase of the paper, recalled how initial financial backing revitalized the publication, allowing creative freedom and a global focus. However, she criticized the current direction: “Journalism deserves better than a billionaire owner who decides that partying in Europe is more important than people’s lives.” Attiah was fired last year over social media posts about gun violence and race following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The cuts follow the loss of over 250,000 digital subscribers in 2024 after the Post chose not to endorse Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Additionally, Bezos's Amazon donated $1 million to Donald Trump's inaugural fund. Laid-off journalists protested outside headquarters, with Ben Brasch shouting: “These layoffs are shameful!” Tabrizy highlighted the impact on international coverage, such as her last story on U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf, and lamented the lack of protection for local foreign workers. Attiah noted fewer than 30 Black journalists remain at the Post, with her being the last full-time Black opinions columnist. This “bloodbath” has turned the Post's motto, “Democracy dies in darkness,” into a grim reality for its former staff and readers.
