In a shocking turn of events, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post, has faced severe backlash after the newspaper's decision to not endorse a presidential candidate. The fallout has resulted in over 200,000 canceled subscriptions, a staggering 8% of the paid subscriber base.

The controversy began when The Washington Post's CEO, Will Lewis, announced that the paper would not be endorsing a candidate in the presidential election. Multiple reports suggest that the decision came directly from Bezos himself, who allegedly met with executives from his space company, Blue Origin, and presidential candidate Donald Trump on the same day.

The move has been widely criticized, with many accusing Bezos of attempting to curry favor with Trump in anticipation of his possible victory. Bezos has since written an op-ed in The Washington Post, claiming that the decision was "principled" and not influenced by any quid pro quo.

However, the damage has already been done. The massive loss of subscribers is a significant blow to The Washington Post, and raises questions about Bezos' ability to understand his customers. This incident highlights the potential conflicts of interest that can arise when a single individual owns multiple businesses, and may fuel calls for greater antitrust regulation.

The tech community is watching closely, as this incident has far-reaching implications for the role of tech moguls in shaping public discourse and influencing political outcomes.