Washington: Washington Post publisher and chief executive Will Lewis has stepped down from his role, the company announced Saturday, just days after sweeping layoffs eliminated roughly one-third of the newspaper’s workforce.
In a message to staff — later shared publicly — Lewis defended the difficult decisions taken during his tenure, saying they were aimed at securing the long-term sustainability of the publication and preserving its ability to deliver “high-quality, nonpartisan news” to millions of readers.
Around one-third of the Washington Post staff cut
Will Lewis says ‘job cuts aimed at long-term survival of the post’
Union backs CEO exit, condemns the Post’s leadership@JyotsnaKumar13 tells you more
Also read: https://t.co/I20UEbwJy7 pic.twitter.com/cZhRR7r8Sm
— WION (@WIONews) February 8, 2026
Lewis, a former chief executive of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, took charge of the Washington Post in 2023 at a time when the paper was facing mounting financial losses. He had succeeded Fred Ryan, who led the organisation for nearly a decade.
The newspaper said Chief Financial Officer Jeff D’Onofrio will take over as acting publisher and CEO. D’Onofrio, who joined the Post last June after senior roles at Google and Yahoo, signalled a data-driven approach to strategy, telling staff that audience insights would shape future editorial and business decisions.
Employee unions reacted sharply to Lewis’ exit, calling it overdue and blaming his leadership for damaging the institution. In a statement, the Washington Post Guild urged owner Jeff Bezos to reverse the layoffs or consider selling the newspaper to an investor willing to strengthen its future.
Breaking News: Will Lewis stepped down as the chief executive and publisher of The Washington Post days after it laid off hundreds of journalists. https://t.co/lu63u2pz0e
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 7, 2026
Bezos, who acquired the publication in 2013, framed the leadership transition as an opening for renewal. He emphasised the paper’s enduring journalistic mission and the opportunity to align more closely with reader expectations.
Lewis’ departure follows significant criticism surrounding the recent layoffs. Former executive editor Marty Baron described the workforce cuts as among the darkest moments in the paper’s history and criticised Lewis for not being visibly present during the process.
His tenure was marked by repeated staff reductions and declining subscriber numbers after editorial shifts that included ending presidential endorsement traditions and repositioning the opinion section toward a more libertarian tone. Earlier controversies also surrounded newsroom leadership changes and an aborted plan to launch a “third newsroom,” along with backlash linked to recruitment decisions involving a British journalist connected to a phone-hacking scandal.
The leadership shake-up comes at a pivotal moment for the Washington Post as it grapples with financial challenges, newsroom tensions, and the task of rebuilding trust and stability after one of the most turbulent periods in its recent history.
