Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post, revealed on Wednesday that the newspaper’s editorial pages are to be overhauled to focus on “personal liberties and free markets” in a seismic shift for one of America’s most prestigious publications.

In a message to staff, which the Amazon tycoon shared on X, Bezos confirmed that The Post’s opinion editor, David Shipley, is leaving the newspaper.

The move comes as Bezos and the leaders of the nation’s biggest technology companies cozy up to President Donald Trump. Last year, The Post ended its tradition of endorsing presidential nominees, which led to a hemorrhaging of subscribers.

The decision on editorial pages prompted instant backlash from Post staffers, but fellow billionaire and Trump aide Elon Musk said, “Bravo, Jeff Bezos!”

In his note, Bezos wrote, “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”

He added that newspapers historically provided “a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views.”

“Today, the internet does that job,” he said.

“I am of America and for America, and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.”

Bezos said he had asked Shipley whether he wanted to stay at The Post and that Shipley had declined. “I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t ‘hell yes,’ then it had to be ‘no,’” Bezos wrote.

He added, “I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void.”

Jeff Stein, chief economics reporter for The Post, lashed out at the decision.

“Massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into The Washington Post’s opinion section today — makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there,” he wrote on X.

“I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage, but if Bezos tries interfering with the news side I will be quitting immediately and letting you know.”

Gene Weingarten, a former humor columnist for The Post, wrote on his Substack that “The Opinions section people are reeling.”

He added, “They abandoned their regular morning news meeting to try to make sense of it, and figure out if they still have jobs, and if so, what are their jobs and do they still want them?”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.