Trump
TrumpReuters

After nearly a quarter century in print, The Weekly Standard is shutting down.

On Friday, the magazine’s owner, Clarity Media Group, announced that this month’s edition would be the Washington DC-based weekly’s final publication, citing changes in the media market, while downplaying criticism of the magazine from within the conservative movement, over the publication’s opposition to President Donald Trump.

Founded in 1995 by William Kristol – the son of Irving Kristol, the ‘godfather of neo-conservatism’ - Fred Barnes and John Podhoretz, the magazine was considered the leading publication of the interventionist wing of the Republican Party.

Like many publications, during the late 2000s and early 2010s The Weekly Standard saw declines in its print circulation, but growth in online subscriptions, as readers shifted towards digital media.

In 2016 and 2017, however, online readership also went into decline, after the magazine opposed President Trump’s candidacy in 2016.

William Kristol announced the closure of the Standard in a tweet Friday.

“All good things come to an end. And so, after 23 years, does The Weekly Standard. I want to express my gratitude to our readers and my admiration for my colleagues. We worked hard to put out a quality magazine, and we had a good time doing so. And we have much more to do. Onward!”

On Saturday, President Trump mocked the magazine in a tweet, calling it “pathetic and dishonest” and “flat broke”.

“The pathetic and dishonest Weekly Standard, run by failed prognosticator Bill Kristol (who, like many others, never had a clue), is flat broke and out of business. Too bad. May it rest in peace!”