Washington Post Drops $115K ‘Fire Elon Musk’ Ad, Report Claims

The Washington Post reportedly backed out of running a $115,000 full-page advertisement calling on President Donald Trump to dismiss Elon Musk, who serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to The Hill, advocacy group Common Cause, in partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, had secured an agreement to place a front-and-back page wrap ad in Tuesday’s edition of the newspaper, along with an additional full-page ad inside.

The ad, which is still available on Common Cause’s website, features a cut-out of Musk laughing alongside the White House and asks:

“Who’s running this country: Donald Trump or Elon Musk?”

It further criticizes Musk’s leadership, stating:

"Since day one, Elon has created chaos and confusion and put our livelihoods at risk. And he is accountable to no one but himself. The Constitution only allows for one president at a time. Call Your Senators and tell them it’s time Donald Trump fire Elon Musk.”

A QR code at the bottom of the page directs readers to Fire.Musk.org, urging donations between $10 and $100 to help hold “power accountable.”

Why Did The Washington Post Pull the Ad?

Common Cause President Virginia Kase Solomón revealed that the group had a signed agreement with the newspaper, and there were no initial concerns about the ad being too inflammatory before artwork was submitted.

However, the Washington Post later informed them that the ad could only run inside the paper, not as a wrap, and ultimately decided against publishing it altogether—without providing an explanation.

Solomón speculated that the decision might be linked to Jeff Bezos' relationship with Trump, noting that Bezos attended Trump’s inauguration last month.

"Is it because we’re critical of what’s happening with Elon Musk? Is it only OK to run things in The Post now that won’t anger the president or won’t have him calling Jeff Bezos asking why this was allowed?" she questioned.

According to The Post’s policies, advertisements must provide substantiated facts, and advertisers should obtain necessary permissions when using the names or likenesses of individuals.

Solomón also claimed that The Post shared a sample ad with them from American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, which prominently featured Trump giving a thumbs-up, praising his promise to end electric vehicle mandates.

"They gave us some sample art to show us what it would look like. It was a thank-you Donald Trump piece of art," she said. "It just causes concern for us. Are they fearful of his reaction?"

Musk’s Expanding Influence in Government

Meanwhile, Trump recently signed an executive order expanding Musk’s authority, requiring federal agencies to cooperate with DOGE in reducing staff and limiting new hires.

Standing in the Oval Office, Musk dismissed concerns that he was orchestrating a government takeover, stating:

"The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get."

The Washington Post has yet to comment on the decision to pull the advertisement.