From resistance to reset? Washington Post faces scrutiny over Trump tone shift
Guy Benson of the *Washington Examiner* argued that the *Washington Post* has noticeably shifted its tone on coverage involving President Donald Trump, saying the paper appears too have moved away from resistance-style reporting toward a more “right of center” approach. He suggested this change reflects management decisions aimed at improving competitiveness as readership potentially declined.
Benson linked the shift to changes implemented in 2025 under owner Jeff Bezos. Bezos reportedly directed the opinion pages to focus daily on two pillars-personal liberties and free markets-and mentioned that editor David Shipley stepped down after being asked to lead the new direction. Benson also pointed to greater variety of voices on the *Post*’s editorial side, and he said the move from an anti-Trump stance to a more balanced center-right posture could help the outlet sustain its relevance.
Washington Examiner columnist Guy Benson scrutinized the Washington Post for its noticeable shift in tone on articles about President Donald Trump.
“I think there was a leadership decision at the top saying a resistance newspaper is not the path forward any further,” Benson said on Fox Business’s Varney & Company on Tuesday.
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Benson called it a “fascinating move” by the paper, hinting that the Washington Post may have noticed a drop in readership.
He argued that the Washington Post decided to move the “editorial direction not right wing, but right of center, sort of in some ways blue-collar right of center.”
In 2025, the owner of the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, announced significant changes to the paper.
He shared a letter he sent to staff on X, saying, “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets.”
He also added that David Shipley, the editorial page editor for the paper, stepped down from his role after Bezos asked him to lead this new charge.
“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,” Bezos said.
Benson said decisions were made by management to change how the paper delivers news.
“The call was made, ‘We can’t just cater to this emotionally unstable, angry left-wing base. We’re not a political party, really we’re a news organization. Let’s try something different,” Benson said.
Benson also pointed to shifts within the Washington Post’s opinion team.
“I’ve been encouraged to see the really proliferation and diversity of voices at the Washington Post on the editorial side,” Benson said.
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He said that moving from an anti-Trump stance toward a more center-right approach will help the outlet endure and remain competitive in the media landscape.
“Right, Left, and center. I think that’s a model that more newspapers might want to think about, because the all negative, all partisan, all the time thing had its moment for some, but I’m not sure it’s sustainable,” Benson said.
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