Why is the Washington Post cratering so spectacularly? | Margaret Sullivan

Thu, 12 Feb 2026

To understand the change in Washington Post’s fortunes, it is worth comparing its demise to the New York Times’s trajectory

Not so long ago – it’s been less than a decade – the New York Times and the Washington Post were almost neck and neck in the race for readers, reputation and scoops. The Times was always bigger, but the two were somewhat comparable.

These days, that’s far from reality. The Post has been declining in influence, newsroom staff and financial health – losing at least $100m a year – while the Times is on an astonishing upward trajectory, with operating profit approaching $200m annually.

Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture