Washington Post’s opinion editor resigns after just one year in role

Adam O’Neal, the opinion editor at The Washington Post, is stepping down after only a year in the role, surprising many staffers. O’Neal announced his departure in a memo to colleagues, stating that August 31 would be his last day. He described his tenure as "a remarkable year" and expressed pride in the section's accomplishments, though he did not provide a specific reason for his decision.

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It has been a remarkable year, and I’m very proud of everything we’ve accomplished together.

O’Neal's tenure coincided with a significant shift in the Post's opinion section, initiated by owner Jeff Bezos. The section was reoriented to champion free markets and personal liberties, a move that reportedly alienated some subscribers. O’Neal noted these changes in his memo, stating the section had "made dramatic changes" and become "more relevant, accessible and consequential."

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While this was not an easy decision, I am leaving proud of how far the opinion section has come and optimistic that its best days lie ahead.

Despite O’Neal's positive framing, the section faced challenges, including backlash over a new video podcast, "Make It Make Sense," which was criticized for its content and failed to attract a large viewership. Following O’Neal's announcement, interim publisher Jeff D’Onofrio praised his leadership for making the opinion section "more balanced in perspective, more financially sustainable and more accessible to readers than ever before."

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I joined The Post to lead the opinion section as it began a new chapter, and we have made dramatic changes over the past year. We quickly embraced our mission of championing free markets and personal liberties while simultaneously putting Post Opinions on a sustainable footing.

O’Neal's swift departure is unusual for a senior Post leader, especially one who spearheaded such a significant strategic change. His predecessor, David Shipley, resigned after disagreeing with Bezos's new mandate for the section, which rendered the work of many long-term writers irrelevant.

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Our work has become more relevant, accessible and consequential. We regularly publish world-class journalism that finds the audience where it is. This includes agenda-setting columns; news-breaking op-eds; highly influential editorials; and social media content that reaches millions of new people.