Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino Bezos Bails on Washington Post, Weiss Backs Attia Over Epstein Emails, Trump Attacks Kaitlan Collins
Feb 6, 2026
Massive newsroom layoffs at a major paper and who might be responsible. Bezos's shifting priorities and his ties to the Trump administration. Newly revealed emails linking a CBS contributor to Jeffrey Epstein and the fallout. Senators grilling a streaming CEO over a potential mega-deal and culture-war questioning. A high-profile on-air sexist attack that sparks outrage.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bezos's Priorities Hurt The Post
- Jeff Bezos's recent choices undermined the Washington Post's subscriber trust and business health.
- Oliver Darcy argues Bezos prioritized Blue Origin and favors with the Trump administration over sustaining the newsroom.
Historic Layoffs At The Washington Post
- The Washington Post closed its sports desk and cut about a third of its newsroom in a major round of layoffs.
- Foreign bureaus, local desk, and the book section were hit hard, and the reporter covering Bezos' Amazon was laid off.
Editorial Interventions Cost Subscriber Trust
- Bezos's editorial interventions (spiking endorsements, cartoons, reshaping opinion pages) cost subscribers and damaged trust.
- Darcy and Passantino link those moves to intentional signaling to conservatives and the Trump administration.