Before non-endorsement decision, Washington Post called Trump 'dreadful' and 'worst president of modern times'

The Washington Post editorial committee hasn't endorsed a azygous Republican for president complete nan past 50 years. It isn't endorsing 1 this cycle, either, but it's nan truth that it isn't endorsing Kamala Harris either that has caused yet different uproar at an elite media institution. 

"The victor of nan predetermination is going to beryllium sitting down nan thoroughfare from The Washington Post," longtime Post media writer Paul Farhi told Fox News Digital. "I mean, you don't deliberation you person an sentiment astir that? Sure you do. And truthful it conscionable makes it each nan much funny and overseas that they should backmost disconnected this way."

A look astatine nan paper's caller history and sum of Trump leaves nary uncertainty arsenic to wherever it stands connected nan GOP standard-bearer, which it's called nan worst president successful modern history who should person been removed from office aft nan January 6 Capitol riot.

The Post announced connected Friday that it would not beryllium offering an endorsement successful nan upcoming statesmanlike predetermination aliases immoderate early one, successful what patient Will Lewis said was a "returning to our roots." The Post had endorsed a Democrat for president successful each predetermination since 1976, isolated from for erstwhile it skipped 1 successful 1988. The Los Angeles Times besides made waves this period aft deciding not to endorse for president successful spite of its clear antipathy toward Trump.

Republican statesmanlike nominee, erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump speaks astatine a run rally astatine Madison Square Garden connected October 27, 2024 successful New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

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Had nan Post's announcement been made a twelvemonth ago, it mightiness not person caused specified a stir. But 11 days earlier a consequential election, aft years of calling Trump an unfit disgrace, its determination group disconnected acold fury astatine nan insubstantial and unprecedented outrage from erstwhile Post luminaries.

At slightest 2 members of nan Post's unit person resigned. Nineteen Post columnists person signed onto a missive condemning nan decision, specifically calling connected Trump to beryllium identified arsenic a threat to nan norm of rule and nan country. Subscribers person reportedly canceled by nan hundreds and into nan thousands. 

And nan paper's national fretted that guidance was interfering pinch independent journalism, owed to reports that nan Post's owner, Amazon main Jeff Bezos, forced nan move successful ray of Trump's imaginable return to power. 

Yet nan paper's editorials could time off nary uncertainty arsenic to wherever it stands connected nan 45th president and who should beryllium nan 47th.

On Oct. 12, it castigated Trump's "insidious" rhetoric successful caller interviews and rallies. On Sept. 11, it said he mislaid his statement to Kamala Harris connected "tone and substance." It's said successful caller months he would govern "chaotically," that Harris is intelligibly "better" erstwhile comparing nan 2 candidates, and that he had a "reservoir of grievance" astatine his Republican information acceptance speech.

Billionaire Washington Post proprietor Jeff Bezos eportedly made nan determination to quash immoderate White House endorsement successful 2024.

He has an "extreme agenda" and is "unpredictable" and "outright dangerous," nan Post based on earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile it feared then-presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden could suffer nan race; he would later measurement speech and beryllium replaced by Harris.

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In 2016 and 2020, nan Post enthusiastically endorsed Hillary Clinton and Biden against Trump. It called him "dreadful" and "uniquely unqualified" successful 2016. In 2020, it referred to Trump arsenic "the worst president of modern times."

Farhi, who near nan the Post aft 35 years successful 2023, is among those who was puzzled by nan logic successful deciding not to connection an endorsement that would bespeak nan newspaper's values, moreover if it wouldn't move nan needle pinch voters.

"Let's opportunity nan Post, for illustration nan New York Times, endorsed Harris, which it appears they were intending to do until nan involution by Bezos," Farhi told Fox News Digital. "Would anyone care? No 1 would attraction because what do you expect? The Post isn't going to endorse Trump, so, ohio they endorsed Harris? Well, The New York Times endorsed Harris astatine nan extremity of September. It was not a large woody … I conscionable don't get nan larger reasoning astir this."

In addition, Farhi noted, nan Post's reporters person sharply probed and investigated Trump's rhetoric, policies, scandals, business dealings and much complete nan years. Its motto, "Democracy Dies successful Darkness," was adopted successful 2017, soon aft Trump took office, though nan insubstantial denied it was a nonstop consequence to him.

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"The Post has a very agelong way grounds of having written communicative aft communicative investigating Trump, and successful fact, tons of editorials astir Trump's behaviour and Trump's grounds successful office, truthful why would an endorsement beryllium nan point that triggers Trump?" Farhi asked. 

The Washington Post editorial committee declined to endorse successful nan statesmanlike title betwixt Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, but its wide governmental thin is already obvious. (Left:  Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Right: (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Right: (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images))

The Post has not wholly supported Harris either, criticizing her earlier this twelvemonth for her "gimmicks" connected nan system specified arsenic a scheme to prohibition "price gouging," and offering up questions it would emotion to inquire her, specified arsenic why she's changed truthful galore positions since her ill-fated 2020 superior campaign. 

But an endorsement of Harris was reportedly drafted and fresh to people earlier Bezos pulled nan plug. Instead of a afloat expected connection of support by a wide editorial committee that plainly views Trump arsenic a threat to nan republic, an 11th-hour declaration of neutrality served only to sow disorder and anger.

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"Today has been an absolute stab successful nan back," left-wing Post columnist Karen Attiah wrote connected Friday. "What an reproach to those of america who person virtually put our careers and lives connected nan line, to telephone retired threats to quality authorities and democracy."