Washington Post Faces Backlash for Pulling ‘Fire Elon Musk’ Ad, Sparking Fresh Controversy
(Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images)
The Washington Post recently scrapped plans to publish a full-page advertisement, valued at $115,000, igniting a fresh wave of backlash. The ad, reportedly funded by watchdog group Common Cause, called on President Donald Trump to dismiss Elon Musk, who serves as a special government employee tasked with reducing federal spending and eliminating government positions.
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The decision has angered many Washingtonians and political analysts, particularly as the paper continues to navigate scrutiny under the ownership of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who purchased it in 2013. The move comes after a previous controversy when Bezos opted not to endorse a political candidate last year, breaking from historical precedent.
Marc Elias, a well-known democracy advocate and elections lawyer, pointed out that in October, The Post had accepted an ad from a right-wing group, allegedly funded by Musk, targeting Elias for his legal work. The Nation’s sports editor, Dave Zirin, referenced The Post’s iconic slogan, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” while sharing the news of the pulled ad.
He remarked, “After the Washington Post turned out the lights. Disgusting.” Under Bezos’ leadership, the newspaper recently adopted a new tagline: “Riveting Storytelling for All of America.” Investigative journalist Sarah Posner, who covers the Christian right, urged her followers to visit the Common Cause website, which outlines Musk’s controversial actions.
“Since the Washington Post didn’t want you to see the anti-Musk ad with your newspaper, please check out this website and share it around,” she posted. George Conway, a Washington lawyer and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, also shared the ad, urging his followers, “Please disseminate these images widely. Who needs to place ads in a newspaper that few people actually read anymore?”
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Former record label executive turned political activist Howie Klein speculated that the paper refused to run the ad to avoid offending Musk. “They wouldn’t want to hurt Elon Musk’s delicate feelings,” he commented. Freelance journalist Kaz Weida connected the incident to broader concerns about corporate influence in the media.
“Just a reminder that as you see headlines that the NY Times is embracing AI and the Washington Post refused to publish a ‘Fire Musk’ ad we are still boycotting mainstream and legacy media run by billionaires. They are part of the problem, not the solution.” As the debate rages on, The Washington Post faces mounting criticism over its editorial choices and the influence of its ownership on journalistic independence.
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