The Washington Post is reportedly preparing for another wave of significant job cuts, marking the latest round of cost-cutting at the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper as it grapples with shrinking revenues and operational challenges.
According to former Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi, as many as 300 employees could be laid off, with the deepest reductions expected in the sports and foreign news divisions. Farhi, now a freelancer, cited former colleagues while noting that the cuts are also likely to affect non-newsroom staff.
The news has sparked concern among the paper’s international correspondents. Several journalists took to social media to publicly appeal for the preservation of foreign coverage. Yeganeh Torbati, who reports from Turkey and Iran, addressed Bezos directly in a post on X, highlighting her recent reporting on US-Israeli strikes, water scarcity, state pressure on businesses, and violent crackdowns on protesters. “I want nothing more than to keep doing this important work,” she wrote.
.@jeffbezos I cover Iran for @washingtonpost. Since June, I've reported on US/Israeli strikes, a dire water crisis, state coercion of the private sector, and now, horrific govt violence against protesters. I want nothing more than to keep doing this important work. #SaveThePost pic.twitter.com/lb8Qe56L1k
— Yeganeh Torbati (@yjtorbati) January 26, 2026
Bezos, the co-founder of Amazon, acquired The Washington Post in 2013, pledging long-term investment and expanding its digital and global reach. However, like many legacy news organisations—including the Los Angeles Times—the Post has struggled in recent years as advertising revenue declined and subscriptions fell.
In 2023, the newspaper cut roughly 240 positions, primarily through voluntary buyouts. That same year, Bezos appointed William Lewis, former publisher of The Wall Street Journal, as the Post’s publisher and chief executive officer in an effort to stabilise operations and chart a new direction.
Cost-cutting measures have continued into 2025. Last week, The New York Times reported that the Post had planned to withdraw coverage of the Winter Olympics in Italy, scheduled to begin on February 6. The decision was later reversed, though the paper confirmed it would send a reduced team of four journalists, down from more than a dozen in previous years.
Bezos also drew widespread criticism in 2024 after ending the newspaper’s long-standing tradition of endorsing US presidential candidates. The move triggered internal backlash, leading to the resignation of several editors and writers. According to National Public Radio, the decision resulted in the loss of nearly 200,000 subscribers, about 8% of the paper’s total base. Another round of buyouts was offered later that year.
Adding to the turbulence, the FBI earlier this year searched the home of a Washington Post reporter as part of an investigation into leaked classified information, further underscoring the challenges facing the newsroom.
As uncertainty grows, journalists and media watchers alike are closely monitoring how the Post balances financial pressures with its commitment to investigative and international reporting.