Last Updated:February 05, 2026, 07:57 IST

Ishaan Tharoor, son of Shashi Tharoor, was laid off as The Washington Post cut jobs, affecting its international staff and sports desk, sparking grief among journalists worldwide.

The layoffs follow what the Post described as “significant restructuring”. (X @ishaantharoor & PTI)

Ishaan Tharoor, son of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was among journalists laid off by The Washington Post as the newspaper announced sweeping job cuts that have hit its international coverage and sports desk.

Several employees shared emotional messages on social media on Wednesday, describing the layoffs as a devastating moment for one of the world’s most influential news organisations.

In a post on X, Ishaan Tharoor said he was “heartbroken” after being laid off along with much of the Post’s international staff. “I have been laid off today from the Washington Post, along with most of the International staff and so many other wonderful colleagues. I’m heartbroken for our newsroom and especially for the peerless journalists who served the Post internationally-editors and correspondents who have been my friends and collaborators for almost 12 years. It’s been an honour to work with them,” he wrote.

In another post, sharing a photo of an empty newsroom, he added, “A bad day.”

The layoffs follow what the Post described as “significant restructuring”, which includes shutting down its current Sports Desk and scaling back international reportage, ANI reported, citing Fox News.  Reports suggest nearly a third of the organisation has been affected. Several senior correspondents and editors across regions, including the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Latin America have lost their jobs.

Journalists impacted by the cuts included Investigative reporter Will Hobson, Jerusalem bureau chief Gerry Shih, Cairo bureau chief Claire Parker, Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson, Berlin bureau chief Aaron Wiener and others, all of whom posted messages reflecting shock, grief and pride in their work. Shih said he was leaving along with “the rest of the ME team and the majority of teammates from Delhi to Beijing to Kyiv & Latam,” while Parker described it as “a sad day” for international journalism.

The layoffs mark a sharp contraction in the Post’s global footprint. The Washington Post Guild criticised owner Jeff Bezos, urging him to continue investing in the paper’s journalistic mission. The Post, owned by the Amazon founder, has also reportedly shut its Books section, cancelled the Post Reports podcast and reduced Metro and international coverage, leaving many veteran journalists warning of long-term damage to global reporting.

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