Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah has claimed she was fired from the publication over social media posts she made following the killing of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative commentator. Attiah alleges that the decision was made without prior discussion, describing it as ‘hasty overreach’ and a violation of journalistic standards. She claims that the post deemed her posts ‘unacceptable’ and ‘gross misconduct,’ arguing they endangered her colleagues’ safety.
The Washington Post’s social media policy mandates that employees avoid posting content that questions editorial independence or fairness. While columnists are generally exempt from some guidelines, the Post’s policy requires them to avoid curating feeds that suggest a partisan viewpoint. The Post guild has called the firing ‘unjust,’ arguing that the right to free speech is essential to Attiah’s career.
In her posts, Attiah condemned political violence but also criticized Kirk’s divisive comments on Black women, including his controversial remarks about their ‘brain processing power.’ The Post’s recent shift toward supporting ‘personal liberties and free markets’ has been attributed to owner Jeff Bezos, who argued that a diverse range of opinions is now available online. Attiah has warned that her firing is part of a broader trend, citing a historical pattern of purging Black voices from various sectors, including academia and media.