Anti-Trump writer quits Washington Post amid reader losses


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Jennifer Rubin, a prominent NeverTrump columnist, has announced her departure from the Washington Post after a 14-year tenure in their opinion section. The announcement comes during a period of significant readership decline for the publication since President Biden’s inauguration.

In her departure statement to CNN, Rubin expressed concerns about the deteriorating state of mainstream media, particularly at the Post. She criticized what she perceived as the media’s inadequate response during a crucial period requiring robust journalism.

Her decision to leave was partially influenced by Post owner Jeff Bezos’s decision to block a Kamala Harris endorsement in October. Rubin also highlighted connections between Bezos and Trump, noting Amazon’s $1 million contribution to Trump’s inaugural fund.

Moving forward, Rubin will collaborate with Norm Eisen, a former Obama administration official and Trump impeachment attorney, on a new Substack publication called the Contrarian. The venture, which emphasizes its independence with the tagline “Not owned by anybody,” will feature pro-democracy voices. While initially offering free content, the platform will transition to a subscription model at $7 monthly.

“Our goal is to combat, with every fiber of our being, the authoritarian threat that we face,” Rubin told CNN, expressing concern about journalists recently “bending the knee” to President-elect Trump.

“The voices we’ll be featuring are diverse across parties and generations,” Eisen said in a statement, “connected by the shared belief that we need an unshackled media in order to meet this moment, as we face an existential threat to American democracy.”

Rubin’s exit coincides with broader changes at the Post, which plans to reduce its workforce by 100 employees, representing 4% of its staff. This follows a previous reduction of 240 journalists in October 2023, though the current cuts won’t affect the newsroom.

The Post’s challenges extend beyond staffing issues. Daily active users have plummeted from 22.5 million in January 2021 to approximately 2.5-3 million by mid-2024. The Harris endorsement controversy resulted in 250,000 subscription cancellations, though the Wall Street Journal reports many have since renewed.

Financially, the Post has struggled significantly, recording losses of $77 million in 2023 and $100 million in 2024. Advertising revenue also declined from $190 million to $174 million during this period.

“Our industry is in the middle of a major transformation,” a spokeswoman told the WSJ. “The Post is committed to innovating, creating, and leading the way forward to reach all Americans with nonpartisan news and thought-provoking reported views.”