WaPo CEO To Staffers: If You Don't Like It...Leave

Publisher Will Lewis

The Washington Post’s CEO, Will Lewis, sent a memo Wednesday encouraging staffers who do not “feel aligned” with the newspaper’s ongoing “reinvention” to consider resigning through a voluntary separation program (VSP) offering buyouts. 

The story, first reported by The New York Times’ Ben Mullin, reflects Lewis’s push to transform the Post to appeal to modern audiences and address financial challenges, amid significant internal and external turmoil.

Will Lewis emails the Washington Post staff, encouraging those who "do not feel aligned" with the company's future plans to consider the buyout offer. pic.twitter.com/b3a7w6HbuB

— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) July 9, 2025

Lewis emphasized the Post’s “significant reinvention journey” to make it more appealing and trusted by today’s audiences. He urged employees to reflect on their alignment with this vision, noting that the VSP was designed to support those considering departure with financial security. He expressed gratitude to all staff but highlighted excitement for those committed to the “next chapter.”

The Post has faced declining revenue and audience numbers, with Lewis previously stating the paper was losing “large amounts of money” and had seen its audience halve in recent years.

A controversial decision in October 2024 by owner Jeff Bezos to block a planned endorsement of Kamala Harris for president led to over 250,000 subscription cancellations (about 10% of the Post’s 2.5 million subscribers) and resignations from high-profile journalists, including editorial board members David Hoffman, Molly Roberts, and columnist Robert Kagan.

In January 2025, the Post laid off roughly 100 employees (4% of staff) in its business division, signaling ongoing financial woes.

The opinion section’s overhaul, focusing on “free markets and personal liberties,” prompted further resignations, including veteran columnist Ruth Marcus and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes, who quit after a cartoon critical of Bezos was spiked.

The memo sparked concern among staff, with some viewing it as a sign of further instability. Morale was already low due to earlier leadership controversies, including allegations that Lewis pressured former executive editor Sally Buzbee to suppress stories about his past ties to a UK phone-hacking scandal.

The Washington Post Guild and staffers have previously criticized management for lack of transparency and decisions perceived as undermining journalistic integrity, such as the non-endorsement of Harris.

Industry figures, like former executive editor Martin Baron, called the non-endorsement “cowardice,” warning it could embolden political intimidation.