April 27, 2026
Mr. Jeff Bezos
The Washington Post
1301 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20071

Re: Transfer ownership of the Washington Post to the staff via a structured trusteeship

Dear Mr. Bezos,

Your Washington Post is in a state of turmoil, probably never experienced in its storied history. Since it is our Washington Post as subscribers and readers, we wish to overcome your disinterest in our engagement with the following remarks and suggestions. 

Since January 20, 2025, we have discerned two impacts by you—insisting on an editorial policy favoring what you call “free markets and individual liberty” and large buy-outs and lay-offs of reporters, editors, and some columnists.

The former intrusion has been noted in the media as currying favor with Trump and maintaining the large contracts Amazon has with the federal government, along with attracting new business. The second initiative was described as reducing your subsidy of the Post, a trifle compared to your estimated $240 billion wealth, by making the Post more efficient. You cannot stand the lack of productivity by scores of Post staff as measured by their print, online dispatches, and postings.

What readers have observed, however, is the exodus of many very productive reporters, editors, and columnists who could not tolerate a censorious workplace or climate. The New York Times and other media have been pleased to hire some of this talent. Recently, the exit of another group of star writers and reporters has joined a vaguely defined new journalistic venture launched by a wealthy gentleman whose father ran the defunct Washington Star.

So, here we have a big-time conflict of interest with a vengeful presidential regime run illegally and unconstitutionally by Tyrant Trump, who has a record of using contracts and grants as extortionate mechanisms to get his way. Moreover, the morale at the Post is very low among those who remain, not knowing when and where the next shoes are going to drop. Your publisher, Will Lewis, has left, and your executive editor, Matt Murray, was leaving, but you made arrangements that made him reconsider and stay on.

It is reasonable for readers and contributors to ask why you are holding on to this newspaper with plenty of journalists still there and not ready to withhold exposés to abide by your priorities. 

You are absorbed with Blue Origin, Amazon, and a new project to raise $100 billion for AI to help make companies more efficient, plus other business ventures. Your monetized mind, replacing your well-regarded “hands-off” policy during the first decade of owning the Post, is likely to cause you trouble. You have Post journalists who take their conscience, their independence, and their integrity to work every day. Clashes are bound to occur. You may prevail at the cost of your reputation and image, which will lead to collateral costs among consumers of your businesses, not to mention media critics and historians.

The timely question is, “Why do you need the Post at all?” Could it be that it's ever more crass editorials favoring deregulation of business and often making the case for Trump’s policies and programs (there are still exceptions, like urging Trump to declare victory in his Iran war and leave)? Another explanation for your interest in a red ink operation is to make the Post comfortable for Trump personally. That will be a big lift, as things are only going to get worse with Trump, much worse, here and abroad for the economy, for the Empire, and for “personal liberty.”

Do you need more headaches?

Here is a serious suggestion. Transfer the ownership of this damaged Post to the staff in the form of a well-structured trusteeship: this entity can be enhanced by a donation equivalent to less than one percent of your net worth to provide a transitional cushion for five years or so. A few years ago, you agreed to separate yourself from many more billions of dollars than this suggested sum.

Recently, another private sole owner of Patagonia, the Yvon Chouinard family, established such a trusteeship in conveying their entire successful company to the Patagonia staff.
Imagine the laudatory headlines and the grateful editorials and columns throughout medialand regarding this transfer; your vision and generosity will be received at journalism schools and in their publications. You may not think such goodwill can translate into a favorable economic climate for your initiatives. We can disagree on this point—even John D. Rockefeller, the dominant ruler of the early oil industry, started to hand out dimes to children, with invited photographers, because he was worried about his image.

Think about it.

Sincerely,

Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate
Bruce Fein, Constitutional Law Scholar
Robert Weissman, President, Public Citizen
Joan Claybrook, President Public Citizen, 1982 to January 2009 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head, 1977 to 1981.
Jeff Chester, Executive Director, Center for Digital Democracy
Mickey Huff, Director of Project Censored and President of the Media Freedom Foundation 
Hamilton Fish, Editor, The Washington Spectator
Peter Davis, Civic Advocate, Author & Filmmaker 
John Richard, Essential Information
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR)
RootsAction