Washington Post CEO steps down amid onslaught of backlash following mass layoffs

Washington Post CEO and publisher Will Lewis announced he is stepping down amid the mounting backlash he has faced in recent days after the paper announced mass layoffs. 

"After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside," Lewis said in a memo to staff Saturday, shared on X by Washington Post reporter Matt Viser. "I want to thank Jeff Bezos for this support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner."

Lewis continued, "During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day."

WASHINGTON POST'S TOP EDITOR BACKS JEFF BEZOS AS CRITICS LASH OUT OVER STRUGGLING PAPER'S LAYOFFS

Will Lewis stepped down as CEO and publisher of The Washington Post after two years leading the paper. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Jeff D’Onofrio, who joined the paper last June as its Chief Financial Officer, has been tapped as its acting CEO and publisher effective immediately, according to a press release from the Post. 

"The Post’s resolute commitment to writing the first rough draft of history anchors and imprints its future," D’Onofrio said in the press release. "I am honored to become part of charting that future and to take the lead in securing both the legacy and business of this fierce, storied American institution."

WASHINGTON POST TOP EDITOR ADMITS MORALE ISSUES PLAGUED PAPER LONG BEFORE BRUTAL LAYOFFS

In a statement, Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said, "The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity. Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus. Jeff, along with [Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray and opinion editor Adam O'Neal], are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter."

The Washington Post announced mass layoffs this week that impacted a third of all staffers. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Lewis, as well as Bezos, drew intense backlash for appearing absent as Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray was tasked to announce sweeping layoffs Wednesday that impacted a third of all employees. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Murray defended both Bezos and Lewis. 

"The first time I heard the words ‘Save the Post’ used, it was from the mouth of Jeff Bezos," Murray said, pointing to his exchange with New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin in December 2024. "I think people have different definitions of what that means but together, we all share the common desire for a thriving Post that’s growing again, that’s on sounder financial footing and in a good position to become more relevant to people’s lives. And that's what we're all trying to get to."

"Will has been engaged with me very closely on this for a long time," Murray said of Lewis. "And there were a lot of things that the company did and Will was engaged with all across the company, and I wasn't. He had a lot of things to tend to today."

WASHINGTON POST JOINS OTHER  NEWS OUTLETS IN LAYING OFF RACE-BASED JOURNALISTS

Will Lewis stepped down as The Washington Post's publisher and CEO amid intense backlash over the paper's layoffs. (Elliott O'Donovan for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Lewis' tenure at the Post got off to a rocky start when he bluntly told staff, "People are not reading your stuff."

"We are going to turn this thing around, but let’s not sugarcoat it. It needs turning around," Lewis said during a June 2024 meeting. "We are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. Right. I can’t sugarcoat it anymore."

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Washington Post staffers previously spoke about his lack of presence in the newsroom, particularly after he made those comments. 

Lewis further inflamed backlash against him following the layoffs after he was spotted at a pre-Super Bowl event Thursday in San Francisco. 

Fox News Digital editor and reporter Brian Flood contributed to this report.