Washington Post publisher Will Lewis announced Saturday that he is stepping down, just three days after the newspaper revealed plans to lay off roughly one-third of its staff.
In an email sent to employees and quoted by The Associated Press, Lewis wrote that "difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post." Neither Lewis nor the newspaper’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, took part in a staff meeting earlier in the week at which the layoffs were announced, according to AP.
The Post said its chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, has been appointed acting publisher and CEO. D’Onofrio joined the newspaper in June of last year.
Lewis, who is British-born, previously served as a senior executive at The Wall Street Journal before assuming leadership of The Washington Post in January 2024. His time at the paper was marked by turbulence from the outset, including repeated layoffs and a failed reorganization plan that ultimately led to the departure of then-executive editor Sally Buzbee.
The newspaper has also reported significant subscriber losses in recent months.
Although staff cuts had been anticipated, the scope of the most recent layoffs exceeded expectations. The measures included the closure of the Post’s well-known sports section, major reductions in foreign and metropolitan coverage, and the dismissal of its photographic staff.