Washington Post publisher Will Lewis steps down days after massive layoffs gut the newspaper

The Washington Post’s publisher and CEO Will Lewis has stepped down, just days after the newspaper laid off one third of its newsroom.

“After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” Lewis wrote Saturday afternoon in a brief note to staff. “I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.”

“During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,” Lewis’ note concluded.

The Post said that CFO Jeff D’Onofrio, the former CEO of Tumblr who joined the Post in June, will take over as acting publisher and CEO, “effective immediately.”

D’Onofrio wrote in a Saturday memo to staff that he is “honored to take the helm as acting Publisher and CEO to lead us into a sustainable, successful future with the strength of our journalism as our north star.”

“The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity,” Bezos, the paper’s owner, said in a statement — his first since the layoffs. “Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus.”

D’Onofrio, along with executive editor Matt Murray and Opinion editor Adam O’Neal, “are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter,” Bezos said.

Saturday evening’s unusual announcement made no mention of Lewis staying on board in any capacity to support the transition, suggesting a very sudden change.

Lewis had lost the confidence of the Post newsroom long ago, and during this week’s layoffs, some staffers said the situation had become increasingly untenable.

The Post’s staff hadn’t seen or heard from Lewis during or after Wednesday’s layoffs, but he was spotted Thursday walking the red carpet at a glitzy pre-Super Bowl event, further stoking outrage among the newsroom.