Over 200,000 cancel Washington Post subscriptions after Bezos halts Harris endorsement

The Washington Post has seen over 200,000 digital subscription cancellations following owner Jeff Bezos's decision to prevent the editorial board from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election just weeks before Election Day

According to sources at the paper, the cancellations represent about 8% of the publication’s paid readership. The decision sparked widespread criticism among Post staff, with several columnists resigning in protest, including Pulitzer-winning writer David Hoffman, who described the move as “untenable and unconscionable” in his resignation letter obtained by NPR. “For decades, the Washington Post’s editorials have been a beacon of light,” Hoffman wrote, expressing concern over what he called a “very real threat of autocracy” from former president Donald Trump​.

Bezos acknowledged the backlash in an opinion piece published by the Post, explaining that he sought to maintain the publication’s “independence” and avoid “perception of bias,” denying any intent to influence the endorsement process for business interests. “No quid pro quo of any kind is at work here,” Bezos stated, addressing speculation that the decision was made to avoid conflict with Trump, given Blue Origin’s government contracts and a recent meeting between Blue Origin executives and Trump. “I sighed when I found out, because I knew it would provide ammunition” for those questioning his motives, he added​.

Former Post Executive Editor Marty Baron questioned the timing, noting that the decision, if made sooner, “would’ve been fine,” adding that the lack of “substantive deliberation” indicated other motives. Current Executive and Publisher Will Lewis described the choice as a “return to the Post’s roots,” but internal sources reveal strong skepticism among staff over the timing, with columnist Alexandra Petri and others expressing dismay in widely read op-eds.