Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Turbulent Tenure Marked by Layoffs and Strategy Shifts

BY Rosemary

Will Lewis, the publisher and chief executive officer of The Washington Post, is departing the newspaper following a turbulent period that culminated this week in sweeping layoffs across the organization. The newspaper announced his exit Saturday, just days after roughly one-third of its workforce was cut in a move that affected every department.

In a message to employees, Lewis said the decisions made during his tenure were aimed at securing the newspaper’s long-term viability amid deep financial challenges. He said the steps, though painful, were intended to position the Post to continue producing high-quality, nonpartisan journalism for a broad audience in the years ahead. The message was later shared publicly by the paper’s White House bureau chief.

Lewis was appointed to the role in 2023, arriving from Dow Jones, where he had served as chief executive and publisher of The Wall Street Journal. He replaced Fred Ryan, who led the Post for nearly a decade during a period of digital expansion and editorial prominence. By the time Lewis took over, however, the newspaper was facing steep losses as the broader media industry struggled with declining advertising revenue, shifting reader habits and rising costs.

Jeff D’Onofrio, the Post’s chief financial officer, will serve as acting publisher and CEO. D’Onofrio joined the company last year after holding senior positions at several major technology firms, including Google and Yahoo. In a note to staff on Saturday, he emphasized a data-driven approach to rebuilding the business, saying audience behavior and customer information would guide future decisions about content and strategy.

The announcement of Lewis’ departure drew sharp reactions from labor groups representing Post employees. The Washington Post Guild said his exit was overdue and accused him of undermining the institution through repeated staff reductions and strategic missteps. The union renewed its call for owner Jeff Bezos to reverse the layoffs or consider selling the newspaper to an owner willing to invest more heavily in its future.

Bezos, who purchased The Washington Post in 2013, struck a more optimistic tone in comments shared by the newspaper. He described the leadership transition as a chance to reset and refocus, saying the Post retains a vital journalistic mission and that its readers continue to provide clear signals about what they value.

Lewis’ departure follows one of the most severe rounds of layoffs in the paper’s history. The cuts, announced earlier in the week, reduced the workforce by about a third and were carried out amid widespread criticism of management. Lewis was faulted by some current and former staff members for not being visibly present during the layoffs. Marty Baron, a former executive editor who oversaw the newsroom during some of its most celebrated years, called the day of the cuts among the darkest in the institution’s history.

During his relatively short but contentious tenure, Lewis oversaw multiple rounds of staff reductions and grappled with a sharp decline in subscribers. The losses accelerated after the Post ended its long-standing practice of endorsing U.S. presidential candidates and reoriented its opinion section toward a more libertarian perspective, moves that proved unpopular with parts of its readership.

Internal tensions also marked Lewis’ time at the helm. A disagreement in 2024 with then–executive editor Sally Buzbee led to her departure, triggering a backlash in the newsroom. Lewis later faced criticism over an effort to hire British journalist and longtime associate Robert Winnett, whose past was linked to a phone-hacking scandal in the United Kingdom. The controversy further strained trust between management and staff.

Another signature initiative under Lewis — the creation of a so-called third newsroom intended to complement existing operations — never materialized, adding to questions about his strategic vision and execution.

Eventually, former Wall Street Journal editor Matt Murray was named the permanent successor to Buzbee as executive editor. Buzbee has since taken on a senior editorial role elsewhere in the industry.

Lewis’ exit leaves The Washington Post at a critical juncture, searching for stability after years of financial pressure, internal upheaval and changing editorial strategies. With an interim leader now in place, the newspaper faces the challenge of rebuilding morale, restoring trust with readers and charting a sustainable path forward in an increasingly unforgiving media landscape.