Bezos Called a ‘Trump Supplicant’ in Final Washington Post Takedown

The Resignation of a Washington Post Columnist and the Tensions Within the Newsroom

Joe Davidson, a long-time columnist for The Washington Post, recently made headlines after resigning from his position. His departure came after the newspaper decided to cancel his latest column, which was deemed “too opinionated.” This decision sparked a significant backlash, especially from Davidson, who took to social media to voice his concerns.

In a post that quickly went viral, Davidson accused Amazon founder Jeff Bezos of being overly accommodating to former President Donald Trump. He argued that this approach has had a detrimental impact on the paper’s journalistic integrity and its reputation. Davidson, who has been writing the “Federal Insider” column since 2008, described the cancellation of his column as a “death blow” to his role as a weekly columnist.

The column in question criticized the paper’s decision to drop his work, which he claimed highlighted Trump’s “widespread, ominous attack on thought, belief and speech” since the start of his second term. In his Facebook post, Davidson acknowledged that he had no evidence linking Bezos directly to the decision. However, he emphasized the importance of not ignoring the context surrounding the move.

Davidson pointed out that since the November election, Bezos’s policies and actions have given the impression of being a supporter of Trump. This perception, he said, has led to a decline in morale among journalists and a significant drop in subscriptions. The loss of over 250,000 subscribers following Bezos’s personal intervention to block the Post’s editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has further exacerbated these issues.

The exodus of several high-level editors in response to Bezos’s actions was described by Davidson as “shocking.” Despite the challenges, he noted that the Post’s coverage of Trump remains strong. However, he pointed out that the policy against opinion in news section columns has resulted in less critical scrutiny of the former president. This aligns with Bezos’s well-documented closeness to Trump, which has raised concerns within the newsroom.

While acknowledging that Bezos provided much-needed financial support and direction when he acquired The Post, Davidson expressed disappointment with the impact of Bezos’s actions on the paper’s morale. He stated that despite these challenges, the Post continues to produce high-quality journalism.

Key Points from Davidson’s Critique

• Bezos’s Alignment with Trump: Davidson claims that Bezos’s policies and activities have projected an image of being a Trump supporter.
• Impact on Subscribers: The loss of over 250,000 subscribers due to Bezos’s intervention has affected the paper’s stability.
• Editorial Exoduses: The departure of multiple high-level editors has shaken the newsroom.
• Journalistic Integrity: The policy against opinion in news section columns has led to less critical scrutiny of Trump.
• Continued Quality Journalism: Despite challenges, The Post continues to produce quality journalism.

Davidson’s resignation and subsequent critique have sparked a broader conversation about the influence of ownership on journalistic independence. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the balance between editorial freedom and corporate interests remains a critical issue.