Washington Post’s prospective editor bows out amid controversy

Robert Winnett, who was slated to join The Washington Post as its executive editor this fall, will no longer lead the publication after backlash from its staff and its reporting on his career in journalism.

Winnett, currently an editor at The Telegraph, will remain with the publication, its editor Chris Evans wrote in a memo to staff that was obtained by the Post on Friday.

Plans had been in place for Winnett to take over as editor of the Post after the 2024 election.

In a note to Post staff, CEO and publisher Will Lewis said Winnett had withdrawn from the position, saying he was announcing the news “with regret.”

“Rob has my greatest respect and is an incredibly talented editor and journalist,” Lewis added.

“We will soon announce both the recruiting firm and process we will utilize to ensure a timely but thorough search for this important leadership role,” Lewis wrote to staff, the Post reported.

Winnett’s exit from consideration for the top position comes just days after Jeff Bezos, the billionaire who owns the newspaper, voiced his support for Lewis and the Post’s editorial leadership.

“I know you’ve already heard this from Will, but I wanted to also weigh in directly: the journalistic standards and ethics at The Post will not change,” Bezos wrote to staffers. “To be sure, it can’t be business as usual at The Post. The world is evolving rapidly and we do need to change as a business.”

In recent days, the Post has reported on ethics concerns surrounding Winnett, and several staffers have publicly criticized Lewis, who reportedly ousted former editor Sally Buzbee amid a major reorganization of the Post newsroom.