Hugh Hewitt is leaving the Washington Post after storming the paper's live show

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CNN
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Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt resigned from his role as a columnist at The Washington Post on Friday after storming the newspaper's live show over a disagreement with his colleagues.

Hewitt's resignation came after an appearance on “First Look,” the Post's live show hosted by Jonathan Capehart along with Ruth Marcus, a Post associate editor and columnist, during a discussion of former President Donald Trump's legal efforts in battleground states .

“Is it me, or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for challenging the election this week by complaining about fraud in Pennsylvania by suing Bucks County over alleged irregularities?” Capehart asked Marcus and Hewitt.

“No election can be fair for Donald Trump unless Donald Trump wins it,” Marcus said before Hewitt intervened.

“All I have to say is that we are journalists, even if we are in the opinion section. It needs to be reported – Bucks County was overturned by the court and ordered to give extra days because they broke the law and told people to go home,” Hewitt said. “So this lawsuit was filed by the Republican National Committee and was successful.”

Hewitt pointed to a recent successful effort by the Trump campaign and RNC to expand mail-in voting in suburban Philadelphia. On Wednesday morning, the campaign filed a lawsuit alleging the county unlawfully turned away “many” voters before Tuesday's 5 p.m. deadline for an in-person application. A Pennsylvania judge sided with the trio the same day.

“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we must report the whole story when we address one part of the story,” Hewitt added. “So yes, he’s upset with Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story.”

Capehart replied, “I don't appreciate being lectured about reporting when you, Hugh, come here a lot and say things that aren't based on facts.”

“I’m not coming back, Jonathan, what’s that like? “I’m done,” Hewitt shot back as he stood up from his chair and removed his earpiece. “This is the most unfair election campaign I have ever taken part in.”

“You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done,” Hewitt said before exiting the screen.

After storming off the show, Hewitt confirmed to Fox News that he had parted ways with The Post.

“I actually left the Post, but I only wrote a column for them about every six weeks,” Hewitt told Fox.

A Post spokesperson did not immediately comment on Hewitt's resignation, but said: “As the newsroom's live journalism platform, Washington Post Live is known for its dynamic conversations and thought-provoking perspectives on current issues of the day, such as Today's First.” Tomorrow, look at the program.”

Hewitt, who joined the Post in 2017 and hosts a nationally syndicated radio show for Salem Media, was one of the few conservative voices for the Post's otherwise left-leaning opinion desk. His last opinion piece, one of seven he wrote in 2024, was a column in which he called for Trump's MAGA movement to “evolve” under a second Trump administration.

Hewitt's departure comes after a tumultuous week at the Post, in which three members of the paper's editorial board resigned in protest over billionaire Post owner Jeff Bezos' decision not to support a candidate in the presidential race. As a result of the decision, more than 250,000 readers canceled their subscriptions, the newspaper reported.