Sally Buzbee, Executive Editor of The Washington Post, Resigns in Sudden Leadership Change

Sally Buzbee, the executive editor of The Washington Post, stepped down on Sunday, June 2, 2024, following internal disagreements about the outlet’s future direction. This includes the decision to segment its newsroom, according to multiple reports.

Buzbee’s departure, after serving as executive editor since 2021, was announced in an email by CEO William Lewis. The newspaper described the event as an “abrupt shake-up at the top.”

In addition to Buzbee’s exit, Lewis announced that Matt Murray, the former editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal, will temporarily serve as the new executive editor for the Post.

After the presidential election in November, Robert Winnett, the former deputy editor of Telegraph Media Group, will assume a newly created editor role. Both Murray and Winnett have previously worked with Lewis.

The announcement of Buzbee’s resignation “surprised many in the newsroom,” the Post reported. Less than two weeks ago, Buzbee had spoken at a companywide meeting about plans to introduce new subscription tiers to boost revenue.

In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, the Washington Post Guild expressed concerns over Buzbee’s sudden departure. “We’re troubled by the sudden departure of our executive editor Sally Buzbee and the suggestion from our Publisher and CEO Will Lewis that the financial issues plaguing our company stem from the work of us as journalists instead of mismanagement from our leadership,” the statement said. “We are also concerned about the lack of diversity at the top levels of the organization, especially as the Post seeks to reach new audiences while continuing to cover the most pressing issues in the nation and the world.”