Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reportedly told then-President-elect Donald Trump at a December 2024 dinner that The Washington Post was his 'worst investment,' months before authorizing sweeping staff cuts at the newspaper, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times journalists Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman [1]. Bezos expressed frustration with the Post's business leadership, stating, 'The people there are terrible,' and highlighting that the newspaper lost more than $100 million in 2024 [1]. He contrasted the Post with his other companies, noting that the newspaper's leaders were not following his direction: 'They don’t listen. My other companies, they listen,' Bezos said [1].
The book details that Trump, who had frequently criticized the Post's coverage of him, complained to Bezos about the newspaper during the dinner, saying, 'This Washington Post is really unfair. You’ve got to take better care' [1]. Swan and Haberman wrote that Bezos and Trump found common ground over their complaints about the paper, though for different reasons [1]. Trump claimed he had once believed Bezos personally controlled the Post’s coverage during his first administration, but later changed his view after conversations with Bezos [1].
The Washington Post faced subscriber backlash after withholding its 2024 presidential endorsement, a decision that led to cancellations and internal dissent [1]. Bezos defended the move in an October 2024 opinion piece, arguing that presidential endorsements create a perception of bias and do not influence election outcomes [1]. In February 2025, Bezos announced a shift in the Post’s opinion section to focus on 'personal liberties and free markets,' which resulted in the resignation of opinion editor David Shipley [1].
In February 2026, the Post laid off one-third of its staff, eliminating its sports section, books coverage, and several foreign bureaus [1]. These sweeping cuts underscore the financial and operational challenges facing the newspaper under Bezos’ ownership [1].
CONCLUSION
Jeff Bezos’ admission that The Washington Post was his 'worst investment,' coupled with a $100 million loss and significant staff cuts, highlights deep financial and leadership challenges at the newspaper. The shift in editorial focus and subscriber backlash further signal ongoing turbulence. These developments suggest a high market impact for media and related sectors, especially given Bezos’ prominent role.