Washington Post journalists launched the #SavethePost campaign, directly appealing to owner Jeff Bezos to stop reported mass layoffs that could gut significant portions of the newsroom. Reports from Puck and other outlets say “hundreds” of positions may be cut, with sports and foreign desks especially at risk. International and conflict reporters emphasized the personal danger of their work and the public value of on-the-ground coverage. The appeals come amid recent tensions at the paper, including an FBI search of reporter Hannah Natanson’s home.
‘#SavethePost’: Washington Post Journalists Urge Jeff Bezos to Halt Reported Mass Layoffs
Several Washington Post journalists appealed directly to owner Jeff Bezos on Monday, launching a social media campaign under the hashtag #SavethePost after reports that sweeping layoffs could eliminate large portions of the newsroom.
Reports of Major Cuts
Last weekend, Dylan Byers of Puck reported that “hundreds” of Washington Post employees could be fired, saying the sports desk may be shuttered and that the foreign desk could be “hit hard.” Status published a similar account, and former Post reporter Paul Farhi said he had been told as many as “half” of the newsroom positions might be eliminated, calling the prospect “sickening.”
Reporters Make a Public Plea
In response, journalists across multiple desks used #SavethePost and tagged Bezos on X to urge him to intervene or to persuade newsroom leaders to reverse the cuts. Reporters emphasized the value of on-the-ground foreign reporting and the personal risks many of them face while covering conflicts and authoritarian regimes.
Voices From the Field
Samantha Schmidt, Mexico bureau chief, warned international reporters “risk our safety to investigate authoritarian governments” and said their work is “more critical than ever.”
Foreign correspondent Loveday Morris recalled a source telling her she could have been “killed” for her reporting and described such danger as part of an “average day.”
Ukrainian bureau chief Siobhan O’Grady thanked Bezos for past support documenting the Russia-Ukraine war and implored, “Please believe in us and #SavethePost.”
International security correspondent Souad Mekhennet, Turkish correspondent Yeganeh Torbati, global economics correspondent David J. Lynch and Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson also stressed why sustained foreign coverage matters and described the daily risks their reporting entails.
Context and Tensions
The social media push comes amid broader internal tensions at the paper, including a recent FBI search of reporter Hannah Natanson’s Virginia home and seizure of devices in an investigation into alleged mishandling of classified information. Staff solidarity around Natanson earlier sparked protests and concern within the newsroom.
Management at The Washington Post has not publicly confirmed the scope of any layoffs. The reports, the journalists’ public pleas and the potential erosion of foreign and sports coverage have prompted wider discussion about the future of deep reporting at one of the country’s major news organizations.
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