Wall Street Journal (editorial board)
U.S. right
Background
The Wall Street Journal was founded on July 8, 1889, by Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser as a four-page financial broadsheet covering Wall Street. It grew through the 20th century into the largest-circulation newspaper in the United States by print readers. The editorial board developed a strongly conservative identity under Vermont C. Royster (1958–1971) and Robert L. Bartley (1972–2000), becoming a leading national voice for supply-side economics during the Reagan era. In 2007, News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch acquired Dow Jones & Company for approximately $5 billion; the deal raised concerns about editorial independence, though the news and opinion sections have maintained formal separation. Paul Gigot has led the editorial page since 2001, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2000, and has continued the board's free-market tradition. In 2025, a family succession dispute was resolved in favor of Lachlan Murdoch, who now controls the broader Murdoch media empire including News Corp. The board describes its mission as standing for 'free markets and free people' and has historically aligned with mainstream Republican economic priorities, though it has clashed with the Trump movement over trade protectionism, ethics, and democratic norms — including a July 2026 editorial calling the Trump family's financial activities while in office an 'unseemly display' that 'demeans the office.'
Sources
- Editorial board at The Wall Street Journal — Wikipedia
- The Wall Street Journal — Wikipedia
- Lachlan Murdoch cements control of Fox and WSJ media empire in new family deal — NBC News
- Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Slams Trump Family Financial Dealings — America News Nation
- Wall Street Journal: Trump family 'cashing in on the presidency in big and sketchy ways' — The Hill
- Paul Gigot — Wikipedia
- The Wall Street Journal — Britannica
Profile compiled 2026-07-20; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.