Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, announced that the newspaper has parted ways with the publication's opinion editor, David Shipley.

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

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Bezos reveals major Washington Post opinion page shakeup, editor resigns

Feb 26

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Jeff Bezos announced a shift in The Washington Post’s opinion section, focusing on “personal liberties and free markets.” After the announcement, David Shipley stepped down as opinion editor.
The decision follows previous internal tensions, including Bezos blocking an endorsement of Kamala Harris, and widespread staff dissatisfaction.
Some staff of The Washington Post have come out against the new directive, while other executives shared their support for it.

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Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, announced that the newspaper has parted ways with the publication’s opinion editor, David Shipley. In a memo shared on social media Wednesday, Feb. 26, Bezos outlined a significant shift in the paper’s editorial direction, stating that the opinion section will focus on “personal liberties and free markets.”

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“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets,” Bezos wrote. “Viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”

I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning:

I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages.

We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too…
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) February 26, 2025

Bezos said he offered Shipley the opportunity to continue leading the opinion section under this new directive, but made it clear that full commitment was required. Shipley ultimately decided to step down.

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Staff reacts to editorial shift

Will Lewis, The Post’s chief executive, addressed concerns about the shift.

“This is not about siding with any political party,” he wrote in a memo to staff. “This is about being crystal clear about what we stand for as a newspaper.”

However, some journalists expressed concern about potential limitations on dissenting opinions.

The newspaper’s chief economics reporter, Jeff Stein, criticized the decision on social media, calling it a “massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section.”

“I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know,” Stein added.

Massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section today – makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there

I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the… pic.twitter.com/7hzWCUDCVV
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) February 26, 2025

Internal tensions and recent controversies

This development follows a series of internal disputes at The Washington Post. In October 2024, Bezos blocked the newspaper’s planned endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, breaking a tradition that had been in place since 1976.

The decision led to significant staff dissatisfaction, with more than 400 journalists signing a letter to Bezos in January 2025 expressing concerns over the paper’s direction.

Former Executive Editor Sally Buzbee also left the paper in 2024 amid newsroom restructuring concerns. Additionally, a Post cartoonist resigned in 2025 after a cartoon featuring Bezos and former President Donald Trump was pulled. In January, 100 employees were laid off, though the newsroom itself was not affected by the cuts.

The Washington Post is generally rated by media watchdogs as a left-leaning news outlet. However, Bezos’s recent editorial changes suggest an attempt to shift the paper’s ideological direction.

Tags: amazon, Jeff Bezos, Media Bias, Newspaper, The Washington Post

[Karah Rucker]

THE WASHINGTON POST IS SHAKING THINGS UP.

OWNER JEFF BEZOS – ANNOUNCING THE PAPER HAS PARTED WAYS WITH ITS TOP OPINION EDITOR –

AFTER BEZOS SHARED HIS **NEW VISION FOR THE OPINION PAGES –

WHICH WILL NARROW DOWN TO DEFEND “PERSONAL LIBERTIES AND FREE MARKETS” –

VIEWPOINTS OPPOSING THESE THINGS – WILL NO LONGER BE PRINTED OR PUBLISHED BY THE POST.

BEZOS SHARED A MEMO HE SENT TO STAFF ON X –

SAYING “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

I am of America and for America, and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else.

I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void.”

IN THE MEMO –

BEZOS SAID HE OFFERED THE OPINIONS EDITOR –DAVID SHIPLEY – TO STAY ON AND TAKE THE REIGNS UNDER THIS NEW DIRECTIVE.

BUT BEZOS SAID IF IT WASN’T A “HELL YES” THEN IT HAD TO BE A “NO.”

AND WITH THAT – SHIPLEY DECIDED TO STEP AWAY.

THE POST’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID THE CHANGES TO ITS OPINION SECTION ARE “NOT ABOUT SIDING WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY.”

HE WROTE IN A MEMO TO STAFF OBTAINED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES –

This is about being crystal clear about what we stand for as a newspaper. Doing this is a critical part of serving as a premier news publication across America and for all Americans.”

HOWEVER – NOT EVERYONE AT THE POST – IS ON BOARD WITH THE NEW CHANGES.

THE POST’S CHIEF ECONOMICS REPORTER REACTED TO THE NEWS ON X –

SAYING “Massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section today – makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there

I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know.”

THE POST HAS SEEN ITS FAIR SHARE OF RECENT INTERNAL TURMOIL –

AFTER BEZOS BLOCKED THE PAPER’S PLANNED ENDORSEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE KAMALA HARRIS LAST OCTOBER – BREAKING A TRADITION DATING BACK TO 1976.

STAFF MEMBERS WROTE A LETTER TO BEZOS IN JANUARY EXPRESSING CONCERNS OVER THE PAPER’S DIRECTION.

NOW-FORMER EXECUTIVE EDITOR SALLY BUZBEE LEFT THE PAPER LAST YEAR OVER “NEWSROOM RESTRUCTURING CONCERNS.”

ONE OF ITS CARTOONISTS QUIT THIS YEAR AFTER ONE OF ITS CARTOONS FEATURING BEZOS AND TRUMP WAS NIXED.

100 OF ITS EMPLOYEES WERE ALSO LAID OFF IN JANUARY – – BUT THE NEWSROOM WASN’T IMPACTED BY THE CUTS.

THE WASHINGTON POST – IS RATED BY MEDIA WATCHDOGS AS A LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLET.

THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – I’M KARAH RUCKER.

THOSE SAME MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUPS THAT RATED THE POST HAS HAVING A LEFT POLITICAL BIAS IN ITS REPORTING HAVE RATED STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AS A CENTER OUTLET.

FOR MORE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING –

DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.

Bezos reveals major Washington Post opinion page shakeup, editor resigns

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Staff reacts to editorial shift

Internal tensions and recent controversies

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