Former WaPo editor-in-chief blasts Bezos for 'serious error' in endorsement decision: 'A betrayal'

Former Washington Post editor-in-chief Marty Baron has accused his former boss Jeff Bezos of “betrayal of his principles” after the newspaper announced it would not endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

“Jeff Bezos has shown no courage here,” Baron said in an interview on Boston Public Radio on Monday.

“I think this is a serious mistake and has done enormous damage to the Washington Post's brand…I worry about the damage it is doing to the Post's brand and reputation, and that people may have greater distrust today… he added.

The post office announced this on Friday that it would not be an endorsement in the upcoming presidential election or a future presidential election, which CEO and publisher Will Lewis called a “return to our roots.” The Post had endorsed a Democrat for president in every election since 1976, except when it omitted one in 1988.

PRIOR TO THE NON-ENDORSEMENT DECISION, THE WASHINGTON POST CALLED TRUMP “TERRIBLE” AND “WORST PRESIDENT IN MODERN TIME.”

Marty Baron, editor-in-chief of the Washington Post, chided his former newspaper for the decision to withhold its support. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The decision immediately caused an uproar in the newspaper Democracy Dies in the Dark. At least two Post employees have resigned from the newspaper, and two others left the newsroom but remained on staff. Nineteen Post columnists signed a letter condemning the decision and specifically calling for Trump to be identified as a threat to the rule of law and the country. Subscribers have reportedly canceled in the hundreds of thousands.

And the newspaper's union feared that management was hurting independent journalism, as Bezos reportedly forced the move amid Trump's possible return to power. The newspaper had reportedly prepared a recommendation for Harris before the call to overturn that recommendation was made.

Baron, who retired from the Post in 2021 after nearly a decade at the newspaper, criticized the move on X-Friday in a post that was widely shared by Post columnists and reporters.

“This is cowardice of which democracy is the victim,” he wrote. “@realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness in an institution known for its courage.”

THE WASHINGTON POST SKIPS THE WHITE HOUSE SUPPORT, BUT THE LIBERAL SLEND IS STILL FILLED IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE

Baron blamed Bezos for the call in his interview with Boston Public Radio, saying he was disappointed in the billionaire Amazon founder, who owns the Post Office, for “caving in to pressure from Donald Trump.”

“It's disappointing because throughout my time there he withstood that pressure and stood up for us,” Baron said of Bezos. “Trump has tried in many ways to undermine Amazon's business, and yet he has stood behind us, and I'm just disappointed right now that he's not willing to carry forward those principles.”

Baron said the decision was “a betrayal of the principles he (Bezos) represented and practiced when I was editor of the Washington Post.”

Billionaire Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post in 2013.

The move was surprising given that Bezos “showed tremendous resilience and integrity in defending our work and not giving in to pressure” when Baron worked with him, he said, adding that he was “extremely grateful for “It was the support he gave us.” Time.

Baron said he believes it is Trump's escalating attacks on “perceived political enemies” that have pressured the WaPo owner to change course.

“I think Trump has only become more vicious in his attacks… He has always perceived Bezos as an enemy because he owns the Washington Post and rejects The Washington Post's reporting.”

“I think this decision to support the president is a sign of weakness and I hope it does not lead to further signs of weakness,” he added.

Bezos defended the newspaper's “principled decision” not to support a presidential candidate in an editorial Monday night, citing a Gallup poll that showed Americans are losing trust in the media.

“Our profession now enjoys the least trust of all. Something we are doing is clearly not working,” he wrote.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post in 2013. (Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP)

“We have to be accurate, and we have to believe we are accurate. This is a bitter pill to swallow but we fail on the second requirement,” he continued. “Most people believe the media is biased. Anyone who doesn't see this pays little attention to reality, and whoever fights against reality loses. Reality is an undefeated champion. It would be easy to blame others for our long and prolonged demise.” Credibility (and thus a decline in impact), but a victim mentality doesn’t help. We must work harder to control what we can control to increase our credibility.

The billionaire Amazon founder, who bought The Post in 2013, insisted that newspaper recommendations “do not help tip the scales in an election” but “create a perception of bias.” He reiterated the Post's decision to end support for the president, saying it was a “principled and correct decision.”

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The Washington Post did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' David Rutz and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.