‘I’m heartbroken’: Shashi Tharoor’s son Ishaan among 300 journalists laid off by Washington Post

Ishaan Tharoor, a senior columnist on international affairs and son of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, has been let go by The Washington Post in a major round of layoffs affecting nearly one-third of its newsroom.

The newspaper, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, axed more than 300 of its roughly 800 journalists this week. It also shuttered its sports desk, closed several foreign bureaus, and discontinued books coverage, signaling a sharp contraction for the 147-year-old publication.

Ishaan confirmed his departure on X, sharing a photo of the newsroom emblazoned with the Post’s motto, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” captioned simply: “A bad day.” His father later reshared the post.

In a follow-up, Ishaan wrote: “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.”

He reflected on launching the WorldView column in January 2017 to help readers understand global affairs and America’s global role, thanking its “half a million loyal subscribers.”

Other affected journalists included Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson, who posted: “I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I’m devastated.” The Post’s New Delhi bureau chief Pranshu Verma added: “Heartbroken to share I’ve been laid off from The Washington Post. Gutted for so many of my talented friends who are also gone. It was a privilege to work here the past four years.”

Executive Editor Matt Murray told staff the cuts were “difficult but unavoidable,” as the paper recalibrates amid shifting technology and reader habits. “We can’t be everything to everyone,” he said, per the Associated Press. The layoffs hit international, metro, editing, and sports teams, following recent reductions in 2026 Winter Olympics coverage.