Washington Post columnist Hugh Hewitt announced Friday he will be leaving the newspaper after he walked out of a live event during an argument about former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on election integrity.
The veteran political columnist and analyst has been a contributing columnist with WaPo since 2017 where he has written hundreds of articles. He is also a nationally syndicated radio host.
“I have in fact quit the Post but I was only writing a column for them every six weeks or so,” Hewitt told Fox News Digital in a statement. Hewitt claims he told opinion editor David Shipley of his decision to leave the company on Friday morning.
Hewitt was a vocal pro-Trump voice within the editorial pages as his last piece, which was published Tuesday, called on the MAGA movement in the GOP to evolve if Trump regains the White House.
“As the newsroom’s live journalism platform, Washington Post Live is known for its dynamic conversations and thought-provoking perspectives on top issues of the day, such as this morning’s First Look program,” a spokesperson for the Washington Post told Mediaite in a statement.
His departure from the outlet occurred just after a Friday morning argument on the Washington Post’s live show First Look with host Jonathan Capehart. Hewitt and WaPo’s Deputy Editorial Page Editor Ruth Marcus joined Capehart on Friday to discuss whether Trump was “laying the groundwork for contesting” the election results.
Capehart cited the RNC’s recent decision to sue “Bucks County for alleged irregularities.” Marcus agreed with Capehart’s analysis that Trump was trying to garner support for questioning the election results as the country prepares for Tuesday night.
Hewitt spoke up during the discussion and noted, “I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though we’re at the Opinion Section. It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So that lawsuit was by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful. The Supreme Court ruled that Glenn Youngkin was successful.”
He added, “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. So yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.”
Capehart replied by claiming Hewitt has come on the program before “saying lots of things that aren’t basic fact.”
“I will not come back, Jonathan. How’s that? I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I have ever been a part of. You guys are working. That’s fine. I’m done,” Hewitt snapped back before storming off the set.
