Washington Post cuts 300 journalists in single-day layoffs

The Washington Post fired more than 300 journalists on Feb. 4, 2026 — roughly 38% of its 790-person newsroom and one of the largest single-day layoffs in American newspaper history. Executive editor Matt Murray eliminated entire sections including sports, books, and style, and closed most foreign bureaus. Owner Jeff Bezos, whose net worth stands near $240 billion, acquired the paper in 2013 for $250 million and chose restructuring over sustained investment as the Post reported losses of roughly $100 million in 2024. The Washington Post Guild condemned the cuts as a choice, not an inevitability, noting they disproportionately affected journalists of color.