He made the announcement in an internal email to the newspaper's staff, published by staffer Matt Viser on X .
"Everyone - after two years of transforming The Washington Post, it is now time for me to step aside. I want to thank owner Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership during my time as CEO and publisher," Lewis writes.
Earlier this week, the influential newspaper announced that a third of its staff would be laid off. The cuts will affect all editorial departments; the sports department will be closed and the number of foreign correspondents will be reduced.
Lewis will be replaced by former chief financial officer Jeff D'Onofrio, according to the AFP news agency.
