Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, has ordered a wave of layoffs totaling more than 300 jobs. Reports indicate the cuts included a correspondent stationed in Ukraine and the complete closure of several departments, drawing sharp backlash from media figures and former employees.

These staff reductions have brought back long-standing concerns about whether American democracy can withstand continued pressure from Donald Trump. Observers have noted a shift in Bezos’s approach, pointing to a gap between his past support for the newspaper and his current decisions. Some critics suggest these moves may be an attempt to please Trump and protect Bezos’s other business ventures.