HuffPost editor-in-chief Danielle Belton resigned Thursday as part of the news site’s ongoing editorial layoffs, TheWrap has learned.
She announced her decision via staff memo, writing, “I could not, in good faith, ask others to make this difficult decision without doing the same.”
“At my core, I am a very sensitive and emotional person, which is why I haven’t been as communicative in the last few days,” she wrote. “I’ve been a part of the HuffPost for almost four years and wanted to see us through our 20th anniversary, something I was looking forward to. I am also very passionate about you all and the work that we do.”
“I never saw myself as a traditional leader, but as the newsroom’s leading supporter meant to help grow and protect our team so you all could focus on your work in serving our readers,” Belton continued. “And this decision was hard in the sense that I do feel so strongly about you all — both for those who will be departing the company and for those who will remain — and have been so proud to lead this newsroom. I did not want us to get to this place where we would face saying goodbye, yet despite my best efforts, this is where we find ourselves.”
Her memo added that executive editors Kate Palmer and Whitney Snyder will take over as newsroom leads while the company figures out its “next steps” with the editor-in-chief role.
“I have incredible faith in the team to lead HuffPost through this difficult time,” Belton noted. “Please know that I will always be reading and rooting for HuffPost.”
Semafor’s Max Tani shared the memo to social media midday Thursday.
Belton's note to staff: "In hopes of saving some roles, I knew I would face eliminating my own." pic.twitter.com/6eE2s2Hcxd
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) January 9, 2025
The move came two days after Belton shared that at least 30 HuffPost staffers would be cut from her newsroom in the coming weeks. The Tuesday memo cited “growing challenges to our business” as reason for the impending layoffs.
“I recognize that this is an upsetting way to start the year, and we will be sure to share more details as swiftly and clearly as possible, as I believe it is important to be transparent and share information as we have it,” Belton wrote in the earlier memo.
HuffPost is not the only media company to experience large layoffs at the top of the year. Tuesday also saw The Washington Post announce plans to lay off roughly 100 employees, while Vox cut 12 on Thursday.
