Jeff Bezos reportedly tells President Donald Trump that The Washington Post was his “worst investment” ahead of staff reductions at the newspaper, according to excerpts from a forthcoming book. Multiple outlets cite claims that Bezos made the remarks during a dinner in December 2024. The reports describe Bezos also criticizing staff at the Post, saying people there were “terrible” and that they did not listen to him, before he ordered or carried out layoffs.
The reporting is based on the book’s account of conversations at the dinner, and the outlets do not present direct documentation beyond the book excerpts. The details are framed as Bezos’ reported private comments to Trump rather than public statements. The outlets also link the alleged criticism of the newspaper’s workforce to subsequent cost-cutting measures, though the specific timing and scope of the staff cuts are not fully detailed in the provided summaries.
Overall, the sources agree that the alleged remarks occur at a December 2024 dinner, involve Trump and Bezos, and center on Bezos’ view of the Post as a poor investment and the workforce as problematic, preceding reported staffing changes.
