NEW YORK — Following the announcement that it would not endorse a presidential candidate, The Washington Post has reportedly seen more than 200,000 subscribers cancel their memberships, according to a recent report. This figure comes from two internal sources familiar with the situation.

Such a significant loss in subscriptions represents a serious challenge for The Post, which is already confronting financial difficulties. Last year, the newspaper boasted a subscriber base of over 2.5 million, predominantly consisting of digital subscribers, positioning it behind only The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal in terms of circulation.

When approached for comment regarding the reported cancellations, Olivia Peterson, a spokeswoman for The Post, declined to provide any information.

Internal reports indicate that the paper’s editorial team had intended to endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. However, last Friday, they chose instead to allow readers to formulate their own opinions without any formal endorsement. The announcement’s release occurred less than two weeks prior to Election Day, raising concerns among some that owner Jeff Bezos might have been wary of potential backlash from Republican candidate Donald Trump if he were to win.

Marty Baron, The Post’s former editor, criticized the decision on social media, describing it as a “cowardly” act that ultimately harms democracy.

Amid the backlash, some journalists, including columnist Dana Milbank, have urged readers to avoid canceling their subscriptions in response to the decision, as such actions would negatively impact the livelihoods of staff members.

This decision by The Washington Post follows a similar move by the Los Angeles Times, which also decided against endorsing a candidate and acknowledged losing thousands of subscribers as a result.

An article published on The Post’s website regarding the aftermath of the non-endorsement has received over 2,000 comments, many expressing dissatisfaction and announcing cancellations. One commenter lamented, “I am unsubscribing after 70 years,” stating a loss of faith in the newspaper’s commitment to truth.