The chief executive of the Washington Post is stepping down, the newspaper has announced, days after overseeing mass lay-offs. In a message to staff, William Lewis said it was the right time to leave and that 'difficult decisions' had been made to ensure the paper's future. On Wednesday the newspaper announced it was cutting a third of its workforce, dramatically scaling back its coverage of sport and international news. The decision was condemned by many journalists and prompted criticism of the Post's billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos. Executive editor Matt Murray said the cuts would bring 'stability'. Jeff D'Onofrio, who joined as chief financial officer of the newspaper last year, will serve as acting publisher and CEO. Lewis faced criticism from subscribers and employees as he tried to reverse financial losses at the daily. Hundreds protested in front of the paper’s headquarters in Washington DC after the mass layoffs, which included the paper's entire Middle East staff and its Kyiv-based Ukraine correspondent. Marty Baron, the Post's executive editor until 2021, called the cuts 'among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organisations'. The departure of Lewis marks the latest upheaval for the leading US newspaper, which has seen a series of staff cuts and controversial editorial decisions in recent years. Shortly before the 2024 US presidential election, Bezos decided the newspaper would not endorse a presidential candidate, breaking with decades of tradition. This move led to widespread criticism and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of subscribers.