In a surprising turn of events, Will Lewis, the CEO and publisher of The Washington Post, has resigned from his position. His departure comes shortly after the iconic newspaper, owned by Amazon’s billionaire founder Jeff Bezos, implemented significant job cuts that sparked discontent among its readership.

Despite widespread challenges plaguing newspapers nationwide, Lewis faced substantial criticism from both subscribers and employees during his two-year stint. His efforts to steer the publication away from financial decline were met with skepticism and resistance.

Lewis, a British national, will be succeeded by Jeff D’Onofrio. D’Onofrio, who previously served as CEO of the social media platform Tumblr, joined The Washington Post as chief financial officer in June of last year, the newspaper announced.

In a farewell email to staff, which was later shared on social media by a reporter, Lewis expressed his belief that it was “the right time for me to step aside.”

Jeff Bezos issued a statement confirming D’Onofrio’s immediate appointment as Lewis’s successor but provided no additional details.

“The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity,” Bezos remarked. “Every day our readers provide us with a roadmap to success. The data highlights what is valuable and where to concentrate our efforts. Jeff, along with Matt and Adam, are well-positioned to guide The Post into an exciting and prosperous next chapter.”

The sweeping cuts announced on Tuesday axed crucial reporting teams on the foreign, local and sports desks. All staff photographers were let go together with most of the video team.

The Post did not disclose the number of jobs being eliminated, but it’s believed 300 of its 800 journalists were laid off – close to a third of its staff.

The paper’s entire Middle East roster was let go as was its Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent as the war with Russia grinds on.

Will Lewis abruptly stepped down as CEO and publisher of The Washington Post just days after sweeping layoffs rocked the newsroom

Lewis had led the Post for two turbulent years while attempting to reverse steep financial losses. In an email to staff he said that it was ‘the right time for me to step aside’

Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, faced criticism for intervening in editorial matters

The Amazon founder and Washington Post owner released a statement on Saturday evening

Sports, graphics and local news departments were sharply scaled back and the paper’s daily podcast, Post Reports, was suspended.

Hundreds turned out Thursday at a protest in front of the paper’s headquarters in downtown Washington, DC.

Newspapers across the country have cratered under falling revenues and subscriptions as they compete for eyeballs with social media, and as internet revenue pales in comparison to what print advertising once commanded.

However, national papers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have managed to weather the storm and come out financially solid, something the Post, even with a billionaire backer, has failed to do.

In Lewis’s note to staff, shared on X by White House bureau chief Matt Viser, Lewis said ‘difficult decisions have been taken’ during his tenure ‘in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news.’

Lewis’ tenure has been rocky from the start, marked by layoffs and a failed reorganization plan that led to the departure of former top editor Sally Buzbee.

Bezos, the world’s fifth richest man, and Lewis have come under scrutiny for intervening directly in the paper’s editorial processes.

Bezos reined in the newspaper’s liberal-leaning editorial page and at the last minute blocked an endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris days before the 2024 election breaking the so-called firewall of editorial independence.

Lewis defended the layoffs as ‘difficult decisions’ needed to ensure the paper’s long-term sustainability 

The sweeping cuts announced on Tuesday axed crucial reporting teams on the foreign, local and sports desks. All staff photographers were let go together with most of the video team 

A protester holds a cutout of Jeff Bezos’ face outside of the Washington Post office following a mass layoff, on Thursday, in Washington

Protesters outside of the Washington Post office demonstrate following mass layoff, Thursday

Protesters outside of the Washington Post office demonstrate following a mass layoffs

He was widely seen as bowing to Trump with subsequent changes turning the editorial pages in a more conservative direction.

It sent 250,000 digital subscribers dumping the Post with the paper losing around $100 million in 2024 as advertising and subscriptions as revenues fell.

Marty Baron, the Post’s executive editor until 2021, said that the job cuts ranked ‘among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organizations.’

On Friday, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the investigative journalists best known for uncovering the Watergate scandal, which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, both spoke out. 

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the famous Washington Post reporters who uncovered Watergate, spoke about about the paper’s decision to slash jobs

250,000 digital subscribers dumped the Post with the paper losing around $100 million in 2024 as advertising and subscriptions as revenues fell when it decided not to endorse Kamala Harris

Woodward did not mention Bezos by name and appeared to look on the positive side. 

‘Under Executive Editor Matt Murray there have been many superb and excellent ground-breaking stories. There will be more. I will do everything in my power to help make sure The Washington Post thrives and survives.’

But Bernstein admonished Bezos repeatedly. 

‘Today’s owner of the Washington Post is one of the five richest people. His responsibilities ought to be, above all, to enlarge those journalistic and democratic possibilities: and not, as we have witnessed this past year at Jeff Bezos’ Washington Post, to curtail or demean them.’