Jeff D’Onofrio has been named the acting publisher and CEO of The Washington Post (WaPo), taking the helm of one of US‘ most influential newspapers with immediate effect after the departure of outgoing CEO Will Lewis.
The leadership change was confirmed in a statement posted on X by the newspaper on February 7 after a barrage of layoffs hit the WaPo. About one-third of its staff were impacted, particularly those working in the sports and international desks.
The layoffs were reportedly announced to restore financial stability. Lewis reportedly stated that the paper had lost more than $177 million over the previous two years. The publication has struggled to find a profitable business model that offsets these losses, leading to mass layoffs.
The Washington Post is announcing Jeff D’Onofrio as its acting Publisher and CEO, effective immediately. pic.twitter.com/38eGFkSXjL
— Washington Post Communications (@WashPostComms) February 7, 2026
What do we know about Jeff D’Onofrio?
D’Onofrio joined The Washington Post in June last year as chief financial officer (CFO). According to his LinkedIn profile, he is a digital media executive whose career spans several corners of the media and technology landscape, including leadership roles across live streaming, social media, news, advertising and e-commerce sectors.
His professional background includes senior positions at Tumblr, Google, Yahoo News, and Ernst & Young.
From 2017 to 2022, D’Onofrio served as chief executive of Tumblr, a role that placed him at the centre of efforts to reposition the platform.
During his tenure there, he made a high-profile decision to ban adult content in an attempt to redefine Tumblr’s market position, a move that led to a significant decline in user traffic, The Verge had previously reported.
Tumblr was later sold in 2019 to Automattic, the owner of WordPress, for a fraction of the $1.1 billion paid for it in 2013.
Prior to Tumblr, D’Onofrio also served briefly as general manager of Yahoo News while the platform was under Verizon’s ownership.
Why did Will Lewis step down?
Lewis’ decision to step down from his role came days after WaPo announced the layoffs. According to the BBC, Lewis told staff it was “the right time” to leave.
“During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,” Lewis said in an internal memo to the employees. Lewis was appointed CEO and publisher in 2023.