The Washington Post CEO and publisher Will Lewis announced Saturday that he resigns, effective immediately. The paper’s chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, will serve as interim CEO and publisher.
In a brief note to employees, Lewis said it was “the right time” for him to step aside after two years of what he described as transformation at the paper.
He thanked owner Jeff Bezos for his support, calling him “an exceptional owner,” and said difficult decisions had been made to secure the Post’s long-term future and preserve its ability to deliver nonpartisan journalism to millions of readers.
The Post confirmed that chief financial officer Jeff D’Onofrio will assume the roles of acting publisher and CEO, effective immediately.
D’Onofrio, who joined the company in June and previously served as CEO of Tumblr, told staff in a memo that he was honored to lead the organization toward “a sustainable, successful future,” with strong journalism as its guiding principle.
Bezos, in his first public statement since the paper laid off more than 300 journalists earlier this week, praised D’Onofrio alongside executive editor Matt Murray and Opinion editor Adam O’Neal, saying they are positioned to guide the Post into its next chapter. Bezos added that reader data provides a “roadmap to success” and helps determine where the paper should focus its efforts.
The announcement made no mention of Lewis remaining in any advisory role, signaling a sudden and complete break. The move followed mounting frustration within the newsroom, particularly after Lewis was absent during and after Wednesday’s sweeping layoffs.
His appearance at a high-profile pre-Super Bowl event in San Francisco the following day further inflamed tensions among staff.
Lewis’ tenure had been controversial nearly from the outset. Appointed in late 2023 with a mandate to stabilize the Post’s finances, he arrived with a résumé that included senior roles at The Wall Street Journal and The Daily Telegraph.
Soon after his appointment, reports resurfaced alleging his involvement in efforts to suppress details of the UK phone-hacking scandal—claims Lewis has denied. Subsequent reporting about his interactions with NPR and internal editorial disputes deepened concerns among Post journalists about leadership and editorial independence.
Tensions escalated further with the removal of executive editor Sally Buzbee and Lewis’ increasingly low public profile, even as he pursued new revenue streams and experimental technology initiatives.
Saturday night, the Washington Post Guild issued a blistering statement, calling Lewis’ exit “long overdue” and urging Bezos to reverse the layoffs or sell the paper to an owner willing to invest in its future.