The Washington Post’s new right-leaning opinion editor fired at least half a dozen staffers — some of whom learned of their terminations while observing the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur — according to a new report.
Adam O’Neal, the former Economist journalist who was recently hired by the Jeff Bezos-owned broadsheet to overhaul its opinion section, reportedly handed out pink slips to staffers including some well-known names last week.
It was the latest in a series of changes that have roiled the newspaper since Bezos proclaimed earlier this year that the opinion section would shift to champion “free markets and personal liberties” in the wake of President Trump’s re-election.
David Hoffman, a Pulitzer Prize winner, longtime contributing editor and WaPo editorial board member, was among those who got the boot, according to the Status newsletter.
Veteran media critic Jack Shafer and economic columnist Heather Long were axed, too, Status reported.
“Please know that this decision was not made lightly and came after careful consideration of many factors, including the evolving needs of the section,” O’Neal was quoted as saying in an email to the affected employees.
“We appreciate your contributions to the company.”
According to Status, O’Neal sent the emails last Thursday — the day of Yom Kippur.
Some of the fired staffers were reportedly observing the holiday, which is the holiest in the Hebrew calendar.
It is unusual for companies to lay off employees on religious holidays, particularly if the affected workers are observing them.
Washington Post staffers were upset by the sudden move, prompting complaints to human resources about the matter, according to Status.
Wayne Connell, who heads HR at the Washington Post, reportedly informed staffers at the newspaper that he would speak to O’Neal about the issue.
The New York Post has sought comment from the Washington Post.
Last week, O’Neal announced the hiring of three conservative opinion columnists — Kate Andrews of the Spectator, Dominic Pino of National Review and Carine Hajjar of the Boston Globe editorial board.
“By rejecting partisanship, welcoming debate within the pillars, and projecting optimism, we can appeal to a broader audience and serve high-quality journalism to millions of people around America,” O’Neal wrote in a memo to staffers announcing the new hires.
He told Fox News Digital last month that he feels a “tremendous responsibility” as head of the opinion page. He said his aim was to diversify the newspaper while expanding the publication’s readership beyond its traditional left-leaning audience.
The newspaper has seen a string of high-profile exits in recent months, including the firing of longtime columnist Karen Attiah.
In a Substack newsletter, Attiah, who spent 11 years at the newspaper, claimed she was let go over social media posts denouncing Charlie Kirk following the Sept. 10 assassination of the conservative activist.
Others to recently exit the Washington Post include Jonathan Capehart, a Pulitzer Prize winner; fact checker Glenn Kessler; economic columnist Catherine Rampell and veteran writers David von Drehle, Molly Roberts and Perry Bacon Jr. Many left through buyouts.
