Jeff Bezos remains committed to the future of The Washington Post, the paper’s top editor said on Wednesday, even as the publication laid off hundreds of employees in one of the most significant rounds of cuts in its history.
Speaking to CNN, Executive Editor Matt Murray said the billionaire owner wants the newspaper to emerge stronger after what he described as a necessary reset. “He wants the Post to be a bigger, relevant, thriving institution,” Murray said, adding that Bezos supports reinvention and growth.
The comments came just hours after The Washington Post announced sweeping layoffs that affected roughly one-third of its workforce. More than 300 newsroom employees were among those let go, according to people familiar with the matter, deepening unease within the organisation about its direction and ownership.
Many journalists at the paper remain unconvinced that sharp cost-cutting can lead to recovery. The scale of the layoffs has intensified scrutiny of Jeff Bezos, prompting renewed speculation about whether he may eventually sell the publication. Some staff members have openly said they would welcome a new owner willing to invest more aggressively in journalism.
In a statement, the Post Guild said that if Bezos is no longer prepared to support the mission that has defined the newspaper for generations, “then The Post deserves a steward that will.”
Bezos has not publicly outlined his current vision for the paper. However, he has privately pressed senior management to reverse annual losses, restore profitability and establish a sustainable business model.
Murray declined to discuss the details of his conversations with Bezos or say when they last spoke, but characterised Wednesday as a turning point. He said Bezos backs efforts to “get the house in order” while allowing the newsroom to operate independently.
From Murray’s perspective, Bezos has not interfered in editorial decisions or coverage. “He doesn’t dictate what we do, doesn’t respond to stories, and understands the imperatives of our journalism,” Murray said, calling that approach ideal for a news owner.
Staff backlash and leadership questions
Post employees have been organising online under the hashtag #SaveThePost, echoing a phrase Murray noted was first used publicly by Bezos himself. At a DealBook conference hosted by The New York Times late last year, Bezos said, “We saved The Washington Post once, and we’re going to save it a second time.”
Murray, who took on the executive editor role around the same period, became the public face of the layoffs, while publisher and chief executive Will Lewis did not address staff directly. Lewis was personally appointed by Bezos two years ago to turn the paper’s finances around, but many employees say progress has been difficult to see.
Defending Lewis, Murray said the publisher has focused on building new revenue streams and experimenting with artificial intelligence and product technology. While acknowledging that not all initiatives have succeeded, Murray said such experimentation was necessary. He also credited Lewis with strengthening the paper’s digital subscription business.
That claim sits alongside evidence of subscriber losses in recent years. The paper shed hundreds of thousands of readers after Bezos blocked a planned editorial endorsement of Kamala Harris during the 2024 election campaign. Subsequent changes to the opinion section fueled concerns that the paper was being steered to avoid upsetting Donald Trump, potentially to protect Bezos’ broader business interests, including Amazon and Blue Origin.
Editorial mission under pressure
Murray rejected the suggestion that the newsroom’s coverage has been softened. He said the Post continues to pursue aggressive reporting without fear or favour, particularly regarding the Trump administration. “We’re breaking a lot of scoops,” he said, pointing to ongoing investigative work.
He also said the paper would continue covering Amazon despite the layoff of its dedicated reporter, even as staff noted that more than half of the technology reporting team was cut.
Some of the reductions, Murray said, were aimed at stabilising the business in the short term rather than signalling a permanent retreat from the paper’s ambitions.
Asked whether he had considered resigning rather than overseeing the layoffs, Murray said he wanted to see whether the Post could be put on a stronger footing. “It’s an important institution that should survive and should thrive,” he said.
For now, uncertainty continues to hang over one of America’s most influential newspapers, as staff and readers alike wait to see whether Bezos’ promise to “save” The Washington Post can be reconciled with the scale of the cuts now reshaping it.
