The Washington Post
U.S. center-left
Background
Founded in 1877, The Washington Post became one of America's most influential papers under the Graham family, gaining fame for its Watergate investigation in the 1970s and a long run of Pulitzer Prizes. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos bought the paper for $250 million in 2013, investing heavily in digital growth for most of the following decade. The paper's reputation for independence was tested in October 2024, when Bezos blocked a planned presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris, triggering an exodus of subscribers and accusations that he was currying favor with Donald Trump. In February 2025, Bezos directed the opinion section to focus on 'personal liberties and free markets,' prompting the departure of opinion editor David Shipley and several columnists. Amid continued financial losses, the Post cut roughly a third of its newsroom in February 2026 and scaled back international, local, and sports coverage. Despite these changes, its newsroom has continued to publish investigative stories and opinion pieces critical of Trump-administration actions on press freedom, immigration enforcement, and civil liberties, even as critics note Bezos's business ties to the administration (including Amazon and Blue Origin government contracts) create potential conflicts of interest.
Sources
- The Washington Post - Wikipedia
- Bezos Remains Silent About The Washington Post For Nearly A Year —As It Slashes Staff (Forbes)
- With The Washington Post In Freefall, An Awkward Question For Jeff Bezos (Forbes)
- Opinion | The Trump administration cracks down on the right to dissent - The Washington Post
- Opinion | Five Post Opinions writers on which Trump appointee surprised them most - The Washington Post
Profile compiled 2026-09-24; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.