Chapter 15: Trump, the president of the elite

"With that focus, the newspaper won a Pulitzer for an investigation into the president's finances and kept a systematic record of his false statements, which totaled 30,573 in four years. At that time, Jeff Bezos, Amazon's CEO, had been the owner of the newspaper for less than four years. During that period, he allowed the paper's editorial independence to remain intact and sparked hope that a new generation of philanthropic billionaires might become journalism's lifeline."

"In February 2026, more than 2,000 journalists were laid off, and Bezos took on a much more active role in the newspaper's editorial line. For example, he completely restructured the opinion section so that articles focused solely on free markets and personal freedom. No more counting falsehoods or criticizing corruption."

"Bezos has thus adapted to Trump's new strategy for dealing with the economic elite one that appears to follow a carrot-and-stick logic: if you're with me, I will help you grow and enrich yourself; if you're not, I will put up every possible obstacle in your way."

The Washington Post adopted the motto 'Democracy dies in darkness' in February 2017 under Jeff Bezos's ownership, establishing itself as a critical journalistic force that investigated Trump's finances and documented his false statements. However, by 2025, Bezos aligned himself with Trump and other billionaires, fundamentally changing the newspaper's editorial direction. In February 2026, over 2,000 journalists were laid off, and Bezos restructured the opinion section to focus exclusively on free markets and personal freedom, eliminating investigative reporting and corruption criticism. This transformation reflects Trump's strategy toward the economic elite: rewarding loyalty with growth opportunities while punishing opposition. Bezos's personal wealth increased from $245 billion to $261 billion during this period, demonstrating the financial benefits of alignment.

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