WaPo Receives Praise From Trump Admin

In a surprising turn of events, the Trump Administration praised The Washington Post on Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed approval of the paper, owned by Jeff Bezos, for its recent newsroom overhaul. “I’d like to commend The Washington Post,” Leavitt said during a press briefing. “It seems the mainstream media, including The Post, is finally realizing that alienating over half the country—those who support this president—isn’t a smart way to sell papers. It’s just not good business.”

Leavitt’s remarks followed a Monday report from Axios detailing significant changes at The Post aimed at expanding its audience and diversifying its coverage. The outlet is splitting its national desk into two: one team dedicated to national reporting, the other to politics and government. Additionally, The Post is merging its business, tech, health, science, and climate teams into a new department focused on “how businesses are transforming” the economy. Executive editor Matt Murray told Axios the goal is to reduce the paper’s reliance on political news and broaden its appeal.

Karoline Leavitt was on fire today! 🔥

"It appears the mainstream media, including the Post, is finally learning that having distain for more than half the country who supports this president does not help them sell newspapers. It's not a very good business model."
🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0PyfANJtNE

— Girl patriot (@Girlpatriot1974) March 12, 2025

The shake-up comes on the heels of Bezos’ decision to overhaul the opinion section, refocusing it on “two pillars”: personal liberties and free markets. Last month, Bezos explained the shift, saying, “There was a time when a newspaper, especially a local monopoly, might have aimed to deliver a wide-ranging opinion section covering all perspectives. Today, the Internet handles that.” 

The opinion section changes sparked backlash from some Post staffers and mainstream journalists. Opinion editor David Shipley resigned over the shift, and on Monday, veteran columnist Ruth Marcus also left, claiming a piece she wrote criticizing Bezos’ decision was suppressed. Marcus had also previously objected to Bezos’ move to cancel The Post’s editorial board endorsement of Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election.