Bezos guts the Washington Post—just like Trump wanted

Mainstream media is experiencing a major die-off at the hands of its own billionaire owners. On Wednesday, the Washington Post—at the command of Jeff Bezos—announced it would be laying off a third of its staff in the name of cost-saving measures. According to Executive Editor Matt Murray, the major layoffs have to do with the fact that the outlet isn’t pulling a profit anymore. 

“These moves include substantial newsroom reductions impacting nearly all news departments,” Murray said in an internal memo obtained by CNN. “This restructure will help to secure our future in service of our journalistic mission and provide us stability moving forward,” he added.

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The Post isn’t the only mainstream outlet facing heat for controversial layoffs. CBS News—owned by billionaire David Ellison—made a similar move earlier this year to the tune of massive layoffs across Paramount and CBS while picking up their own accusations of targeting people of color.

Later, controversial Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss came for CBS News’ top producers. Ellison, in tandem with Weiss, cut its staff in an effort to realign its editorial team in what the public media has deemed a more Trump-friendly broadcast. They’ve even given employees buyout offers if they don’t like the direction of their network’s editorial mission.

But the men making these cost-cutting measures and editorial realignments have also warmed up to President Donald Trump during his second term. As it seems, these two things are not mutually exclusive. In terms of profits, Bezos and the Ellison family seem to be doing well with the Trump administration. 

Despite being snubbed by Trump in the past, Bezos’ Blue Origin has cozied up with Pete Hegseth and the Department of War, better known as the Department of Defense.

And other media outlets who have shelled out millions of dollars to Trump—like ABC News’ $15 million payout—serve as a healthy reminder of how vindictive the president has become this second term. 

Instead of taking the offensive route, billionaires like Bezos have instead turned to giving millions of dollars to the Trump administration without a lawsuit pending. 

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Just over a year ago, Amazon Studios announced they would be footing the $40 million licensing fee for first lady Melania Trump’s self-titled non-documentary documentary. Since then, Amazon has shelled out an additional $35 million for marketing as well. According to the Wall Street Journal, the first lady’s cut is more than $28 million. 

Despite people like Bezos originally buying the Washington Post with the intention of keeping journalism alive and well, the apparent profit mindset behind the billionaire’s motives is also what seems to be killing the editorial vigor in its own award-winning newsroom.

Because in this presidential term, it’s profitable to remove a presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris to keep the president from pulling government contracts. However, it cost the outlet thousands of subscribers. 

It also may be profitable to foot the bill for a film on the first lady, and chip into the president’s ballroom. But it might dwindle the trust of more readership. 

And this, it seems, is exactly when democracy dies in the darkness created by understaffing and underreported news.

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