The Washington Post said its chief executive, Will Lewis, is stepping down just days after announcing major staff cuts. The newspaper slashed one-third of its workforce, leading to sharp reductions in sports and international news coverage. Lewis called it "the right time to leave" and mentioned "difficult decisions" made to safeguard the paper's future. The changes sparked strong backlash from journalists and readers, especially due to the departure of the entire Middle East team and the Kyiv correspondent. Jeff D'Onofrio, the newspaper's chief financial officer since last year, will act as CEO until further notice. Lewis, formerly of Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal, joined the paper in 2023 and faced criticism for trying to fix financial losses. Hundreds protested outside the Washington DC headquarters following the lay-offs. Former executive editor Marty Baron described the cuts as "among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organisations." The move adds to recent upheavals at the Post, which also faces controversy over editorial changes made by owner Jeff Bezos. Notably, Bezos ended the paper’s long tradition of endorsing presidential candidates in 2024, causing subscriber losses. The opinion editor left after Bezos shifted the comment section’s focus to "personal liberties and free markets," banning pieces opposing these views. Bezos bought the Post in 2013 and remains a central figure in its evolving direction.