Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos defends paper’s decision to not back 2024 candidate, claims presidential endorsements ‘create a perception of bias’

Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, defended the newspaper's unprecedented decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election, arguing that such endorsements foster a perception of bias. In an op-ed, Bezos emphasized that while endorsements don't sway elections, they compromise the media's appearance of objectivity. "Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, ‘I’m going with Newspaper A’s endorsement.’ None. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias." Bezos highlighted the broader distrust in media and stressed the importance of credibility over traditional practices like endorsements. He also addressed speculations of a quid pro quo with Donald Trump, firmly denying any such arrangements. Bezos positioned this move as a return to historical non-endorsement practices, aiming to reinforce the public's trust in the Post's independence and integrity.