If you’ve spent any time on political Twitter or tuned into MSNBC over the last decade, you know Jennifer Rubin. She was the woman who seemed to write six columns before most of us finished our first cup of coffee. For years, she was the "conservative" voice at the Washington Post, though by the end, that label fit her about as well as a wool sweater in a heatwave.
Then, in early 2025, she just... quit.
It wasn't a quiet exit. She didn't just slide a two-week notice under the door and head for the beach. Instead, she blew the whistle on what she saw as a "betrayal" of journalism. She walked away from one of the most prestigious gigs in the world because she felt the billionaire class was "bending the knee" to power.
Honestly, it was the most Jennifer Rubin thing she could have done.
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The Evolution of Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post
When the Washington Post hired Rubin in 2010 to run the "Right Turn" blog, the goal was clear: give the paper a sharp, reported-opinion voice from the center-right. And boy, did she deliver. Back then, she was the darling of the neoconservative movement. She was a relentless critic of Barack Obama’s foreign policy and a vocal cheerleader for Mitt Romney in 2012.
Some people called her a mouthpiece for the GOP. Others found her refreshing. But then came 2016.
The arrival of Donald Trump didn't just change the Republican Party; it fundamentally rewired Jennifer Rubin. While other conservative columnists tried to find a way to live with the new reality, Rubin went the other way. She didn't just criticize Trump; she declared war on the entire MAGA movement.
By 2020, she officially dropped the "conservative" label from her Twitter bio. She told her readers that the movement she once loved was now "thoroughly infused with racism and intellectually corrupted."
It’s rare to see a public intellectual change their mind so completely. In a world of "both-sidesism," Rubin became a "one-side" warrior for what she calls "pro-democracy" values.
The Great Resignation of 2025
So, why did she leave? The breaking point wasn't a single column or a mean tweet from a politician. It was about the ownership.
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In January 2025, Rubin resigned from the Washington Post in a move that sent shockwaves through the D.C. media bubble. The catalyst? Jeff Bezos. Or, more specifically, the decision by the Post’s leadership to kill a planned endorsement of Kamala Harris.
To Rubin, this wasn't just an editorial choice. It was "anticipatory obedience." She saw it as a billionaire owner trying to stay on the good side of a potential future president. She didn't hold back in her exit statement, saying:
"Corporate and billionaire owners of major media outlets have betrayed their audiences' loyalty and sabotaged journalism’s sacred mission."
She wasn't alone in her frustration, but she was the most prominent voice to actually pack her bags. She teamed up with Norm Eisen—the former White House ethics czar—to launch something new called The Contrarian on Substack. Their tagline? "Not Owned By Anyone."
Why People Love (and Hate) Her Work
There is no middle ground with Jennifer Rubin. You either think she’s a heroic truth-teller or a wildly inconsistent partisan.
Her critics, especially those on the right like Charles C.W. Cooke, have pointed out what they call her "reversals." For instance, she once slammed the Paris Climate Accord under Obama, only to defend it fiercely when Trump tried to leave it. They argue her ideology is basically "whatever is the opposite of Trump."
But her fans see it differently. To them, she’s a "recovering lawyer" (her words) who applies a rigorous, evidence-based approach to the news. They love her "Green Room" podcast and her ability to churn out high-speed analysis that cuts through the noise.
What Jennifer Rubin is Doing Now
If you’re looking for her today, you won’t find her in the pages of the Washington Post. She’s fully transitioned to the independent media world.
At The Contrarian, she’s leaning into what she calls "unflinching journalism." She’s writing about everything from the legal woes of the Trump administration to the cultural importance of grassroots activism. She’s also still a regular on MSNBC, where she continues to be a go-to voice for the "Never Trump" crowd.
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It’s a different vibe. It’s more personal. It feels less like a corporate product and more like a woman who is finally saying exactly what she thinks without a filter.
Actionable Insights: How to Follow the "New" Jennifer Rubin
If you’ve been following Rubin's journey and want to keep up with her latest work, here is how to navigate the post-WaPo landscape:
- Check out The Contrarian: This is her primary home now. It’s a Substack, so some of it is behind a paywall, but it’s where her most unfiltered columns live.
- Listen to "Jen Rubin’s Green Room": If you prefer audio, her podcast is still a great way to get deep-dive interviews with legal experts and political strategists.
- Follow her on Social Media: While she’s critical of "Big Tech," she’s still very active on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, often live-commenting on breaking news.
- Look for her on MSNBC: She remains a contributor, typically appearing on evening programs to discuss legal and constitutional issues.
Whether you agree with her or not, Jennifer Rubin’s exit from the Washington Post marks a turning point in how we think about "big media" and the role of billionaire owners. She chose independence over the safety of a legacy institution. In 2026, that might be the most "contrarian" move of all.
For those interested in the future of independent media, keeping an eye on her Substack growth is a great way to see if the "newsletter model" can actually sustain the kind of high-impact journalism she aims to provide.