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The Washington Post announced it will not endorse a presidential candidate in 2024 or future elections, marking the first time in almost 40 years.

What’s the deal: In an announcement, the Washington Post’s publisher, William Lewis, wrote, “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.” Lewis noted that the Post’s job was to “provide through the newsroom nonpartisan news for all Americans, and thought-provoking, reported views from our opinion team to help our readers make up their own minds.”

Lewis added, “We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility. That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for.”

Criticism from within: In their comment thread on their website, many subscribers of the Washington Post expressed outrage over the decision not to endorse a candidate for president, with some calling it an abandonment of the paper’s “responsibilities.” Others called those who work at the outlet “cowards.”

Not the only outlet: In addition to the Washington Post, other news outlets have decided to opt out of endorsing a presidential candidate. Notably, the LA Times chose not to endorse a candidate this cycle, a move that sparked significant internal controversy and led to the resignation of senior editors who opposed not endorsing a candidate.