Prominent Democrats criticized Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after hundreds of employees were laid off from The Washington Post on Wednesday, calling the cuts a threat to independent journalism and democratic accountability.
The layoffs of about one-third of the staff, which reportedly affect several news desks and particularly local and international coverage, come as the news outlet continues to face financial pressure amid declining digital subscriptions and advertising revenue.
Bezos, who owns the Post, has not publicly commented in detail on the reductions.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the cuts undercut accountability journalism, noting that one of the reporters affected covered Amazon itself.
"Jeff Bezos just fired hundreds of reporters at the Washington Post — including the Amazon reporter holding his OWN company accountable," Warren wrote on social media.
"Reminder: Jeff Bezos' net worth is nearly $250,000,000,000," she added.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., called the layoffs "a devastating day for the paper of record in our nation's capital," and questioned Bezos' priorities, pointing to Amazon's recent release of a documentary on first lady Melania Trump.
"Bezos just spent $40M sucking up to Trump with Amazon's 'Melania,' but is now cutting a third of [Post] staff — including much of the international & local teams — for 'budget' reasons?" Van Hollen wrote.
"The corporate takeover of media is a threat to our democracy & the delivery of the truth to the American people."
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., echoed the concern, writing that strong journalism is essential to democratic governance.
"We need tough, fair, independent reporting at home and abroad in order to keep our democracy," Warner said, adding, "What a disappointing day."
The criticism comes amid growing scrutiny of Bezos' evolving relationship with President Donald Trump and renewed debate over the influence of wealthy corporate owners on major media institutions.
Bezos, along with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, was among the most prominent tech leaders who attended Trump's 2025 inauguration, underscoring the tech industry's high-level presence at the ceremony.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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