As the leadership of the Washington Post hobnobbed with the elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos, there is panic within the newsroom over looming cuts and owner Jeff Bezos' disappearing acts as troubles mount at the venerable paper.
According to Status reporter Natalie Korach, there is an "erosion of morale" at the Post where things have deteriorated significantly during Chief Executive and Publisher Will Lewis's two-year tenure. Lewis has struggled to address declining newsroom morale and readership, prompting looming and devastating organizational restructuring to reduce staff.
Following mass layoffs in 2025, additional concerns have emerged. Status reports indicate "a fresh round of workforce and operational budget cuts set to take place in February." The Post's leadership is targeting both headcount reductions and operational cost savings, with the Information Technology director instructed to implement significant budget cuts.
Newsroom anxiety has intensified following the Trump administration's FBI search of reporter Hannah Natanson's home. Natanson has conducted investigative reporting on the president and administration officials.
Owner Jeff Bezos has remained notably silent regarding the apparent press freedom concerns, adding to staff frustration.
Korach described the disconnect: "The split-screen at The Post speaks to further tensions within the newsroom. As Post executives mingle with global power brokers in Davos, and their billionaire owner remains missing in action, staffers back home are grappling with the FBI's search's aftermath, while worrying about the latest threat to their job security."