Jeff Bezos overhauls Washington Post opinion section, says it will focus on ‘personal liberties and free markets’

Opinion Editor David Shipley decided to “step away” after Bezos offered him the chance to continue in his role but under this new editorial focus.

Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said Wednesday that the paper’s opinion editor has “decided to step away” as the section takes a new direction focusing on “personal liberties and free markets.”

Bezos, the founder of Amazon, announced the changes on X.

“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets,” he wrote. “We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”

Bezos explained that today the internet covers the task that newspaper opinion sections once did — covering opinions on all views.

Bezos said he offered David Shipley, the paper’s opinion editor, the opportunity to stay at the helm under this new editorial direction, but he declined.

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Shipley had helmed the section since 2022.

“I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t ‘hell yes’ then it had to be ‘no.’ After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision. We’ll be searching for a new Opinion Editor to own this new direction,” Bezos said.

Bezos explained a reason for the change in direction, saying: “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.”

“I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void,” he added.

The Washington Post — and Bezos — clashed with President Donald Trump over the paper’s coverage during Trump’s first term. Trump repeatedly took aim at Bezos and threatened antitrust action against Amazon. In Trump’s still-young second term, however, Bezos has appeared to have taken a different tack, even attending the president’s inauguration along with other affluent tech titans.

The Post’s editorial move was applauded by Elon Musk, who wrote on X: “Bravo @JeffBezos!”

Some Washington Post journalists also weighed in on the changes, most notably Jeff Stein, the paper’s White House economics reporter, who posted to X: “Massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section today — makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there.”

“I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know,” Stein added.

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