Jennifer Rubin, a notable columnist at The Washington Post, has announced her resignation from the newspaper. Rubin cited concerns about the influence of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and other tech billionaires, whom she accused of enabling President-elect Donald Trump. Her departure marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate about media influence and integrity during a critical time for American democracy.
Rubin's resignation stems from her belief that Bezos and his associates are accommodating what she describes as the "most acute threat to American democracy." She criticized Bezos and other billionaires, stating they have "undercut the values central to The Post's mission and that of all journalism: integrity, courage, and 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
In her announcement, Rubin revealed plans to co-launch a new media outlet called The Contrarian on Substack. This platform aims to provide an alternative voice in the media landscape, contrasting sharply with her previous employer and other companies she feels have compromised journalistic values by aligning with Trump-friendly narratives.
Her criticisms extended beyond Bezos. Rubin also targeted ABC and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for their actions. She highlighted a recent settlement involving Disney, which owns ABC News. Disney agreed to donate $15 million to a presidential foundation and museum as part of a defamation lawsuit settlement with Trump, a move Rubin sees as indicative of broader issues within major media corporations.
"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
Rubin's resignation follows a series of Trump-friendly moves by Bezos and other big tech companies. Notably, Amazon and other tech giants contributed millions to Trump's inauguration. Furthermore, Trump recently met with executives from Blue Origin, a Bezos-owned space exploration company, in Austin, Texas. These interactions have fueled perceptions that Bezos is seeking favor with the incoming administration.
"I think that they have financial interests that are very much dependent on the government." – Jennifer Rubin
Rubin is not alone in her departure from The Post. Ann Telnaes, a cartoonist at the newspaper, recently resigned after it refused to publish a cartoon depicting Bezos and other billionaires supplicating before Trump. Such resignations underscore growing discontent among journalists who feel media ownership by billionaires compromises journalistic integrity.
"None of us could imagine [former Post publisher] Katharine Graham sending LBJ or Nixon a $1M check." – Jennifer Rubin
Rubin expressed profound disappointment in Silicon Valley's purported independence, arguing that many companies remain reliant on government largesse. She believes this dependency undermines their ability to resist authoritarianism.
"For all of the talk of Silicon Valley's independence, they are in large part dependent on the largesse of the government." – Jennifer Rubin
Leave a Reply