On February 4, 2026, in what is being described as one of the “darkest days” for American journalism, The Washington Post laid off nearly one-third of its staff. Among the high-profile exits was senior international affairs columnist Ishaan Tharoor, son of Indian Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
The move follows a “strategic reset” by the Jeff Bezos-owned publication, which saw more than 300 journalists dismissed and several major sections shut down entirely.
The End of a ‘WorldView’
Ishaan Tharoor, who spent nearly 12 years at the publication, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his devastation.
- A Heartfelt Farewell: “I have been laid off today… along with most of the International staff and so many other wonderful colleagues,” Tharoor wrote. He described his time at the paper as an “honour” and expressed solidarity with fellow reporters who served the Post globally.
- Legacy of the Column: Tharoor launched the popular WorldView column in January 2017 to help readers navigate global politics. At the time of its ending, the column boasted approximately 500,000 loyal subscribers.
- The “Empty Newsroom”: In a separate, viral post, he shared a photograph of an empty Washington Post newsroom with the simple caption: “A bad day.”
Massive Restructuring at The Post
Executive Editor Matt Murray described the layoffs as “painful but necessary” due to shifting technology and a decline in organic search traffic.
- Sections Shuttered: The newspaper has officially closed its Sports department, Books section, and suspended its flagship daily podcast, Post Reports.
- International Retreat: The Post is scaling back its global footprint, closing several foreign bureaus including those in Jerusalem, Cairo, Turkey, and Ukraine. All Middle East correspondents were reportedly let go in a single day.
- New Delhi Impact: Along with Tharoor, the Post’s New Delhi bureau chief, Pranshu Verma, was also laid off, significantly thinning the paper’s coverage in South Asia.
Critics Slam ‘Brand Destruction’
The scale of the cuts has drawn sharp criticism from media veterans. Former executive editor Marty Baron condemned the move as “near-instant, self-inflicted brand destruction,” while others noted that the paper has struggled to maintain its “Trump-era” subscriber growth amid controversial recent editorial shifts.