The Washington Post will not endorse a candidate for president, the first time it is making that decision since 1988. The outlet instead will let readers decide whether they support former President Trump or Vice President Harris, and will do the same for all future elections.

In a memo to staff, Post CEO Will Lewis wrote that “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”

In explaining the call, Lewis cited a 1960 editorial board column explaining the paper’s position at the time not to endorse presidential candidates. He also sought to preempt criticism about the decision:

“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility. That is inevitable,” Lewis wrote. “We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. We also see it as a statement in support of our readers’ ability to make up their own minds on this, the most consequential of American decisions — whom to vote for as the next president.”

The criticism came quickly, with former Post editor Marty Baron writing that the decision was “cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.” Donald Trump “will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner [Jeff Bezos] (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage,” he added.

Internally, one Post staffer says that the decision, made so close to the election, was “shocking,” and raised questions about the rationale to do so.

According to the Post Guild, a union that represents editorial staff at the outlet, an editorial endorsing Harris had already been drafted, and the decision not to publish was made by the Post’s owner, Bezos, for reasons that are unclear.

Oliver Darcy at Status reported earlier this week about the Post‘s lack of an endorsement, though Friday’s decision seemingly finalized the call.

And the move by the Post also came days after the Los Angeles Times found itself in turmoil over its decision not to endorse in the 2024 election. The decision sparked an exodus of editorial writers and fomented anger among many staff who felt that the decision was unexplainable.

While some speculated that it could be due to owner Patrick Soon-Shiong’s role in the medical space (where government regulation can kill a company), his daughter Nika posted that the decision was connected to Harris’ stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. “This is not a vote for Donald Trump. This is a refusal to ENDORSE a candidate that is overseeing a war on children,” she wrote.