The Washington Post’s opinion editor, David Shipley, is stepping down as the newspaper undergoes a strategic shift under its owner, Jeff Bezos, who announced that the section will now focus on defending personal liberties and free markets.
In an email to employees on Wednesday, Bezos outlined his vision for the Post’s opinion section, emphasizing the importance of economic and individual freedoms. “I am of America and for America, and proud to be so,” Bezos wrote. “Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical; it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.”
Bezos said he had given Shipley the option to stay but noted that the editor ultimately chose to leave. “I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t ‘hell yes,’ then it had to be ‘no,’” Bezos added.
In a farewell note to the opinion staff, Shipley expressed gratitude for his time at the Post and praised his colleagues’ dedication to strong and innovative journalism. “I will always be thankful for the opportunity I was given to work alongside a team of opinion journalists whose commitment to strong, innovative, reported commentary inspired me every day,” Shipley wrote.
Shipley’s departure signals a major shift in the Post’s editorial direction, aligning it more closely with Bezos’ vision for a market-driven and liberty-focused discourse.
