The Washington Post office in Washington, DC on 27 June 2024. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
'No One Knows Anything': Washington Post Staffers Fear Major Cuts
Members of the foreign staff have sent a letter to billionaire owner Jeff Bezos urging him to change course as anxiety mounts over potential widespread job reductions.
The Washington Post has consistently produced high-quality, news cycle-leading reporting over the first year of Donald Trump's chaotic and unpredictable second administration. However, this work has been overshadowed by a cloud of uncertainty and persistent rumours of significant layoffs.
Impending Layoffs and Staff Concerns
Those long-rumoured cuts now appear imminent, with staffers expecting announcements in early February – though nothing is confirmed. Inside the Post, estimates of potential cuts circulate, with most exceeding 100 positions, which would represent more than 10% of the newsroom. No one truly knows the extent of the reductions or if they will occur at all. Sections most likely affected include sports, metro, and foreign, according to staffers who spoke with the Guardian.
On Sunday morning, members of the foreign staff, concerned that their section could be decimated, sent a letter to Jeff Bezos. They urged him to reconsider and highlighted the importance of international reporting for the institution and public interest. Approximately 60 people signed the letter.
"We urge you to consider how the proposed layoffs will certainly lead us first to irrelevance – not the shared success that remains attainable," the staffers wrote. The signatories, including many prominent international journalists, expressed openness to "finding ways to reduce our costs even further" while retaining as many jobs as possible.
"We know what happens when newspapers slash their international sections: they lose reach and they lose relevance," they added.
Financial Strain and Operational Decisions
On Friday night, managing editor Kimi Yoshino sent a memo to the sports department, informing them that the Post would not send anyone to cover the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. This decision, seen as a tangible sign of financial dire straits, baffled some at the paper, especially since about $80,000 had already been spent on accommodations.
"It's all very confusing and no one knows anything," said one unauthorised Post staffer. "The anxiety is so sad."
Several staffers noted that rumours about layoffs have been distracting during a challenging news cycle, with some suggesting the process should not be prolonged. "[It's] safe to say most people aren't thinking of filing right now," a second staffer remarked.
The Post has not confirmed any cuts, and a spokesperson did not respond to comment requests. However, this would follow other cost-cutting measures, including buyouts in 2023 and 2025, targeted layoffs, and reductions in specific teams. In fall 2024, 54 employees from the publishing software division were laid off, and in January 2025, about 4% of staffers – fewer than 100 people – were cut as part of a transformation strategy.
Impact on Journalism and Industry Reactions
Despite the uncertainty, the newsroom continues to produce ambitious pieces, such as in-depth foreign coverage on topics like USAID cuts in Congo, Russian missile strikes in Ukraine, and global sailing adventures. Senior media figures warn that newsroom cuts could have severe consequences.
"Its stellar international reporting is part of the heart and soul of a great newspaper," wrote David E Sanger, Times White House correspondent. "And its international reporting not only makes Post readers smarter, it makes its competitors better – and thus American journalism better."
Post veterans and current staffers expressed alarm on social media over the decision to skip Olympics coverage, recalling past excellent reporting. Christine Brennan, a veteran sports columnist, called it "a stunning and awful development," while former sports writer Mike Wise lamented the impact on the section where he found his voice.
Leadership and Future Prospects
Some staffers feel Bezos is missing in action, notably after he did not comment following an FBI raid on a reporter's home in January. The rumoured cuts coincide with Amazon reportedly spending lavishly on a Melania Trump documentary, adding to internal frustration.
Frustration also centres on publisher Will Lewis, brought in by Bezos in 2023 to improve finances after success at the Wall Street Journal. However, the Post continues to lose money, raising questions about Lewis's tenure. His championed "third newsroom" initiative largely disbanded last year.
"There is a creeping dread in the building that Bezos is dragging us to the edge from which there will be no easy return. Or, no return at all," a third current staffer said, suggesting Lewis's job should be in jeopardy. "All of us in the newsroom have been diligently pursuing the most challenging stories... But what, exactly, has Will Lewis done?"
