The Washington Post's new opinions editor, Adam O'Neal, announced the hiring of three conservative-leaning writers—Kate Andrews, Dominic Pino, and Carine Hajjar—to join the section next month.
They will report to deputy opinion editor James Hohmann and contribute bylined columns, unsigned editorials, social videos, and appearances on the Post's opinion podcast network. This move comes amid O'Neal's push to "diversify viewpoints" at a paper he described as having an "overwhelmingly liberal" readership, following recent "tough staffing decisions" that included the departure of several high-profile liberal columnists.
The hires signal owner Jeff Bezos's reported shift toward emphasizing "free markets and personal liberties" in the paper's editorial voice.
The New Hires:
- Kate Andrews: U.S. deputy editor at The Spectator (a British conservative magazine) and a contributor to The Telegraph. Andrews, a British citizen based in the U.S., is known for sharp critiques of progressive policies; in a recent column, she warned that a win by Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in New York would leave the "whole country... suffer[ing] from nightmares."
- Dominic Pino: Economics editor at National Review, a leading conservative outlet. Pino is a prominent advocate for free-market policies and a frequent critic of Democratic economic initiatives. O'Neal praised him as "one of the most astute writers on the economy in the country," noting his recent guest contributions to the Post.
- Carine Hajjar: A member of The Boston Globe's editorial board and a regular Fox News commentator. A Harvard alum and former National Review reporter covering higher education and Iran nuclear talks, Hajjar focuses on national security, elections, immigration, and transgender issues. She recently eulogized Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk (following his fictionalized murder in reports) as a "generational conservative voice" and one of the era's most influential figures.
The announcement, detailed in an internal memo from O'Neal, has been framed as part of a broader rightward pivot at the Post, especially after losing liberal voices.