A Billionaire’s Shield? Critics question whether Jeff Bezos is protecting Musk and Trump by refusing to publish a hard-hitting ad against Musk’s influence.
BY PC Bureau
The Washington Post has withdrawn from publishing a $115,000 advertisement that called for U.S. President Donald Trump to fire Elon Musk, according to a report by The Hill. The advertisement was initially scheduled to appear on the full front and back pages of Tuesday’s edition, along with a similar-themed feature inside the newspaper.
The campaign was reportedly backed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Action Fund and aimed to highlight Musk’s influence over government decisions. The advertisement featured a full-sized image of Musk laughing with his head tilted back, placed beside an image of the White House. In bold white letters, the ad posed the question:
“Who’s running this country: Donald Trump or Elon Musk?”
Below, the ad criticized Musk’s actions, stating:
“From the start, Elon has caused confusion and put our lives at risk. And he answers to no one but himself.”
The advertisement, with the “Fire Elon Musk” theme, was meant to be delivered to subscribers in key locations, including the White House, the Pentagon, and Congress.
According to The Independent, the ad also featured a QR code that redirected readers to a website, Fire.Musk.org, where they could donate between $10 and $100 to support efforts aimed at “holding power accountable.”
“Washington Post Cancels Ad From Groups Calling for Trump to Fire Musk. Newspaper told Common Cause, an advocacy group, it was pulling its special ad, which would have covered the front and back pages of some Tuesday editions.” Freedom of (some) speech. https://t.co/BGYuLnEgRg pic.twitter.com/xDrSBUBp0V
— miguelmarcos (@miguelmarcos) February 18, 2025
Controversy Over the Canceled Ad
Virginia Kase Solomón, President of Common Cause, told The Hill that the Washington Post had already signed an agreement to publish the advertisement and raised no concerns prior to its approval. She emphasized that the organization was not charged for the ad since it never ran.
Solomón strongly questioned whether the decision was influenced by fear of backlash from Trump, asking:
“Is the paper now worried about Trump’s reaction? Will it only publish content that won’t anger the President or prompt him to call Jeff Bezos, asking why this was allowed?”
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She revealed that the advertisement’s artwork was submitted last week, and the group was initially told that while the ad would not be featured on the wrap, it would still appear inside the paper. However, the newspaper later refused to run it without providing an explanation.
Allegations of Bias in Advertising Decisions
Solomón also claimed that the Washington Post had previously provided an example advertisement from the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers as a reference. That ad reportedly featured a large image of Trump giving a thumbs-up, alongside a message thanking him for ending the electric vehicle mandate on Day 1.
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She criticized the apparent double standard, suggesting that while the pro-Trump advertisement was accepted, the anti-Musk campaign was blocked without a clear justification.
The Washington Post has yet to issue an official statement explaining why it decided to pull the advertisement.
