John,
The Washington Post is laying off hundreds of workers — roughly a third of its staff.
Former executive editor Martin Baron called it “one of the darkest days in the paper’s history.”
Before we go any further, here’s our ask:
Chip in $25 to defend courageous journalism
The Washington Post layoffs aren’t just financial — they’re political.
By dramatically shrinking the Post at the very moment when aggressive, well-resourced journalism is most needed to scrutinize the Trump administration, owner Jeff Bezos is effectively signaling he’s done taking on Donald Trump.
Remember, this is the same Trump administration whose FBI recently raided a Washington Post reporter’s home, seizing personal property including her laptop.
Whether framed as a “strategic reset” or a cost-cutting necessity, these cuts seriously weaken the paper’s ability to sustain the dogged accountability reporting that once made the Washington Post a legendary institution — and an essential pillar of our democracy.
Trump doesn’t need the Washington Post to praise him. He only needs it to pull its punches and quietly fade away.
Fewer reporters means fewer investigations.
Less sustained scrutiny.
More reactive coverage.
More room for intimidation to work.
This is how press freedom erodes — not all at once, but through fear, attrition, and quiet retreat.
And it’s exactly why COURIER exists.
We are building a different kind of media organization:
- Grassroots-funded, not billionaire-owned
- Digital-first and without paywalls, reaching people where they actually get their news
- Courageous journalism focused on accountability, not fear
While legacy institutions shrink and stand down, we are scaling up — especially in battleground states and online spaces where right-wing disinformation thrives.
But we can only do that with support from people who understand what’s at stake.
If you don’t want journalism to stand down from Trump, help us stand up.
Or give whatever you can to keep fearless reporting alive
In solidarity,
The COURIER Team
P.S. History doesn’t remember the institutions that played it safe. It remembers who told the truth when it mattered. Thank you for helping us be on the right side of that line.