Washington Post ordered to rehire columnist fired after Charlie Kirk posts

The Washington Post has been ordered to rehire columnist Karen Attiah, who was fired following her social media posts regarding the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. Kirk's death in September sparked grief among conservatives and threats of a crackdown on the "radical left" by President Donald Trump. Attiah criticized Kirk for his racist comments about Black women and disagreed with the Trump administration's framing of his assassination as a martyrdom for the conservative cause.

She was dismissed with accusations of gross misconduct and violating the Post's social media policies. An arbitrator ruled that the Post had no valid reason for her termination. Attiah, who had worked at the newspaper for 11 years, was the last remaining full-time Black opinion columnist at the time of her firing. Her posts about Kirk highlighted his past racist remarks about Black women and criticized the administration's portrayal of him as a martyr for the conservative cause.

Since 2013, the Post's opinion section has shifted its focus to personal liberties and free markets under billionaire Jeff Bezos' ownership. Attiah was a key editor for the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose killing by Saudi authorities was later confirmed by US intelligence and a UN investigation. Attiah has been a strong advocate for free expression and human rights throughout her career.