Longtime Washington Post columnist Hugh Hewitt is leaving the paper

Longtime Washington Post columnist Hugh Hewitt left the paper on Friday, he told Fox News Digital.

Hewitt, a conservative who hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, had been a contributing columnist for the paper since 2017 and has written hundreds of pieces.

“I actually left the Post, but I only wrote a column for them every six weeks or so,” Hewitt told Fox News Digitaladding that he had recently offered to write another pro-Trump column for the paper ahead of the election. He informed editorial page editor David Shipley on Friday morning.

His latest piece was published on Tuesday. He urged the MAGA movement to develop if Trump is re-elected president. He was a rare pro-Trump voice in the liberal outlet whose opinion list and editorial lean sharply to the left, but his pieces touched on a wide range of issues.

WASHINGTON POST EMPLOYEES SAY MORALE IS DOWN, COLLEAGUES BELIEVE MANAGEMENT IS LYING: ‘VERY SAD HERE’

Hewitt quit after a clip of him went viral earlier Friday when he left the Washington Post’s online show, “First Look,” with liberal columnists Jonathan Capehart and Ruth Marcus on its “Washington Post Live” platform. It happened during a discussion of former President Trump’s rhetoric about election integrity.

“Does it look like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to contest the election by complaining that cheating took place in Pennsylvania?” Capehart asked Marcus. “By suing Bucks County for alleged improprieties and this is on top of his constant claim that if he loses it’s because of cheating.”

Marcus said Trump had been preparing to blame an election loss on cheating for months.

“No election can be fair in Donald Trump’s mind unless Donald Trump wins it,” Marcus said.

As Marcus continued, Hewitt tried to interject, but Capehart shot back, “Let Ruth finish, Hugh.”

“Well, I’ll just say we’re news people, even if it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said. “It needs to be reported. Bucks County was overturned by the court and ordered to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee and it was successful. The Supreme Court ruled, that (Virginia Gov.) Glenn Youngkin was successful.”

JEFF BEZOS REFERS TO WASHINGTON POST ENDORSEMENT FIASCO, RAISES DISTRUST IN MEDIA LEADS TO ‘PRINCIPLE DECISION’

“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story,” Hewitt added. “So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.”

After a brief pause, Capehart said, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when Hugh has come on here many times and said a lot of things that are not based on fact.”

Hewitt stood up and said, “I’m not coming back, Jonathan. I’m done. I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of. You guys are working. That’s fine. I’m done.”

With that, he left, leaving a blank corner of the screen while Capehart went back to Marcus to talk about her column that said the stakes in the election were democracy and “decency.”

But then Marcus’ screen froze and further technical difficulties derailed the show from there.

A Washington Post spokesman reached for comment did not respond to a question about Hewitt’s exit, but said: “As the newsroom’s live journalism platform, ‘Washington Post Live’ is known for its dynamic conversations and thoughtful perspectives on top issues of the day, such as morning “First Look” program.”

WASHINGTON POST OWNER JEFF BEZOS WANTS MORE CONSERVATIVE OPINIONISTS ON PAPER: REPORT

Hewitt’s departure comes on the heels of the Post’s decision, at the behest of owner Jeff Bezos, not to endorse a candidate for president this year. The Post’s abdication sparked an uproar among employees and readers, leading to layoffs and hundreds of thousands of canceled subscriptions.

Bezos has also reportedly called for more conservative opinion writers, so Hewitt’s departure is a blow to that goal.

The Post was slated to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris — it has not endorsed a Republican for president since it began regularly offering White House endorsements in 1976 — before Bezos pulled the plug, citing efforts to rebuild the trust of readers skeptical of for the media.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Hewitt was not a regular columnist for the paper, but had written just seven pieces for the Post in 2024 after writing 48 pieces for it in 2023 alone.