Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos has announced a major editorial shift, stating that the newspaper’s opinion section will now exclusively support personal liberties and free markets. Opposing viewpoints will no longer be published, marking a significant departure from the paper’s traditionally broad opinion coverage.

The decision led to the resignation of opinion editor David Shipley, who stepped down following the announcement.

Bezos Outlines New Editorial Direction

Bezos, the Amazon founder and billionaire, shared the news in a memo to staff on Wednesday, later posting it on X (formerly Twitter).

“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets,” Bezos wrote.

While the opinion section will still cover other topics, Bezos clarified that contrary viewpoints on these core principles will not be published.

“There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader’s doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views,” Bezos explained. “Today, the internet does that job.”

David Shipley Resigns Amid Changes

Bezos revealed that he had given David Shipley the option to stay, but the editor chose to step down instead.

“This is a significant shift, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment—I respect his decision,” Bezos said.

Impact on Washington Post and Reader Reactions

This editorial change follows the Washington Post’s decision last year to stop endorsing presidential candidates, including opting not to endorse Kamala Harris in the Democratic primaries. That move led to resignations and a decline in subscriptions.

Will Lewis, CEO of the Washington Post, reassured staff that the changes were not about political affiliations.

“This is about being crystal clear about what we stand for as a newspaper,” Lewis stated in an internal memo.

The decision has sparked mixed reactions. Elon Musk and other allies of former President Donald Trump publicly praised the move, with Musk posting on X:

“Bravo, @JeffBezos!”

However, some Washington Post subscribers took to the comment section of the newspaper’s article to criticize the decision, with others announcing subscription cancellations.