On February 5, hundreds of Washington Post employees, current and former, gathered outside the paper's Washington, D.C., headquarters to protest massive cuts, public radio station WAMU reported.

What's happening?

Just one day earlier, journalists and readers alike were dismayed to learn that Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos had ordered huge newsroom cuts.

More than 300 Post employees were laid off, with some news desks — including the climate team — cratered by the move. The cuts gutted the Post's entire roster of photojournalists and its vital local reporters.

Among the hundreds of Washington Post staffers laid off was Lizzie Johnson, who was on assignment in war-torn Ukraine when she learned of her termination via email.

Johnson posted about the layoff from a "warzone," saying she was "devastated" by the news.

I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated. https://t.co/dVCLF39YV1

— lizzie johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) February 4, 2026

Journalists across the industry shared the sentiment, but widespread distress soon turned to action, and a rally was organized.

At the well-attended demonstration, the crowd chanted, "Save the Post!"

Why is this concerning?

When Bezos acquired the Washington Post for $250 million in 2013, he denied having any interest in the paper's day-to-day editorial decisions.

However, in October 2024, Bezos stepped in and spiked the Editorial Board's 2024 presidential endorsement, prompting scores of subscribers to cancel in protest and depriving the nearly 150-year-old paper of revenue.

In February 2025, Bezos intervened again, announcing his vision for the Washington Post's opinion section. Once again, the outlet shed a significant number of paid subscribers.

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The gutting of the Washington Post comes at a time when reliable news sources across the United States have been hit by major budget cuts, sold, or stretched thin. Many consider this most recent mass layoff at one of the country's largest and once most trusted newspapers as yet another blow to journalism.

Layoffs at the Post rankled staff and readers, in part because Bezos, a billionaire, unquestionably possesses the resources to invest in and improve the American institution rather than shrink it.

Marissa Lang had worked as a local reporter for the Post for eight years when she learned she was being laid off. Lang lamented the decision for several reasons. 

"The region is going to lose its daily newspaper. I'm a local reporter because I like to cover the community where I live," Lang told WAMU. 

"I like to be accountable to the people who are my neighbors and my friends. And I really do think that these job cuts are going to have a devastating impact on the D.C. region," she added.

What's being done about it?

According to WAMU, journalists at the rally emphasized that it wasn't too late for Bezos to reverse course and fortify the Washington Post as well as its vital coverage.

The Washington Post Guild — the paper's labor union — started a GoFundMe campaign for the hundreds of laid-off journalists, raising nearly half a million dollars in its first two days.

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