Jennifer Rubin, a prominent columnist for The Washington Post, announced her resignation on Monday, citing deep concerns about the publication’s ownership and its approach towards former President Donald Trump. Rubin, who has been a vocal critic of corporate influences in media, revealed plans to co-launch a new media outlet called The Contrarian on Substack. Her departure comes amid accusations against Jeff Bezos, The Post’s billionaire owner and founder of Amazon, whom she claims has facilitated Trump’s rise to power.
Rubin's departure highlights ongoing tensions between media independence and corporate interests. She criticized Bezos for what she perceives as enabling behavior towards Trump, despite the former president's past criticisms of both Bezos and Amazon. Rubin expressed disillusionment with the way The Post and other media outlets have handled their coverage of Trump, accusing them of taking a "bent knee" approach rather than challenging his actions.
"I was under the impression that these people were best situated to resist authoritarianism, and it turns out they were the quickest to fall in line." – Jennifer Rubin
Bezos's interactions with Trump have raised eyebrows, particularly after Amazon's $1 million donation to Trump's inauguration fund and his visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Rubin argues that these actions undermine journalistic integrity and compromise the values central to The Washington Post's mission.
"The Washington Post's billionaire owner and enlisted management are among the offenders. They have undercut the values central to The Post's mission and that of all journalism: integrity, courage, and independence." – Jennifer Rubin
Rubin also criticized other media figures and platforms, including ABC and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for similar reasons. She believes that corporate and billionaire owners have betrayed the trust of their audiences by prioritizing financial interests over journalistic principles.
"They didn't get to be billionaires by thinking of others." – Jennifer Rubin
"Corporate and billionaire owners of major media outlets have betrayed their audiences' loyalty and sabotaged journalism's sacred mission — defending, protecting and advancing democracy." – Jennifer Rubin
The planned endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris by The Post in the presidential election, which was reportedly scrapped, further fueled Rubin's decision to leave. She contends that Bezos and other wealthy media moguls prioritize their financial ties with the government over independent journalism.
"I think that they have financial interests that are very much dependent on the government." – Jennifer Rubin
"For all of the talk of Silicon Valley's independence, they are in large part dependent on the largesse of the government." – Jennifer Rubin
As she embarks on this new venture with The Contrarian, Rubin aims to offer an alternative voice to what she deems as "corporate-owned" media outlets. She believes that a vibrant free press is crucial for democracy's survival and hopes to provide a platform that champions journalistic independence.
"Jeff Bezos and his cronies accommodate and enable the most acute threat to American democracy — Donald Trump — at a time when a vibrant free press is more essential than ever to democracy's survival and capacity to survive." – Jennifer Rubin
Rubin's resignation from The Washington Post marks a significant moment in her career and underscores broader concerns about media ownership and influence. Her decision reflects a growing movement among journalists seeking to uphold the core tenets of journalism in an era dominated by corporate interests.