Washington Post

White House Reporter

Washington Post$137K — $228K *
Media
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of reporting experience, preferably covering political or high-stakes subjects.
  • Track record of breaking news and impactful reporting.
  • Expert-level source-building skills within powerful institutions.
  • Experience working with financial disclosures and public records.
  • Ability to explain complex transactions clearly and accurately.
  • Collaborative mindset with experience working across teams.

Responsibilities

  • Break news about the president and his close associates.
  • Produce ambitious narratives alongside breaking news and analysis.
  • Cultivate and maintain high-level sources within the administration.
  • Quickly report and write as events unfold, providing timely updates.
  • Collaborate closely with investigative and other reporting teams.

Benefits

  • Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage.
  • Company-paid pension and 401(k) match.
  • Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave.
  • Nineteen paid holidays and personal days combined.
  • 20 weeks paid parental leave for new parents.
  • Comprehensive mental health resources.
  • Backup care and caregiver concierge services.
  • Gender-affirming services available.
  • Pet insurance options offered.
  • Free digital subscription to The Washington Post.
Full Job Description

Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samplesto be considered for the position.

The Washington Post is seeking an aggressive, accountability-minded reporter to cover the White House with an emphasis on President Trump's business enterprises and those of his family and close associates.

This reporter will join a team at the center of our news mission, covering the president and his inner circle with urgency, authority and originality. The beat demands a steady cadence of scoops, sharp analysis and ambitious enterprise.

This is a high-profile role for an experienced and versatile reporter. It requires stamina, sharp judgment and a collaborative spirit. The reporter will be tasked with finding and writing scoops about the holdings and financial pursuits of the president and the people close to him and the manifold conflicts of interest those can pose. They will also be responsible, with other members of the reporting team, for sharing coverage of breaking White House-related news on a wide range of topics.

The ideal candidate combines deep reporting experience, a strong ability to explain complex transactions in accessible ways and the capability to juggle long-term enterprise with breaking news on deadline.

This position is based in our Washington, D.C. newsroom.

What Motivates You
  • You thrive on accountability reporting and following twisting narratives.

  • You are comfortable seeking news at the White House or Congress as well as in court or financial records.

  • You excel in fast-moving, high-stakes environments and are eager to take on complex stories.

  • You are curious about how decisions are made within the White House and how the pursuit of power and money affect that process.

  • You are competitive and eager to break news on a high-stakes beat.

  • You're excited to experiment with a variety of storytelling formats.

How You99ll Support the Mission
  • Break news about the president and his inner circle, delivering timely and agenda-setting reporting.

  • Produce ambitious narratives as well as breaking news, analysis and enterprise stories.

  • Cultivate and maintain high-level sources inside and outside the administration.

  • Report and write quickly as events unfold, including filing early versions of stories when necessary.

  • Collaborate closely with colleagues across the White House, investigative and other teams.

The Skills and Experiences You Bring
  • A track record of breaking news and producing reporting that has impact.

  • Demonstrated ability to execute investigative stories about complex transactions.

  • Expert-level source-building skills and comfort covering powerful institutions.

  • Experience working with data, public records and financial disclosures.

  • Demonstrated ability to explain complex situations clearly and accurately.

  • A honed instinct for accountability stories.

  • A collaborative mindset and experience working across teams to elevate coverage.

Interested candidates should upload a rsum, cover letter and three examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by June 20 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to White House Editor David Lauter and Politics & Government Editor Nick Baumann.

The salary range for this position is $137,300 6 $228,900. The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

Collaboration makes us stronger. That99s why our offices are designed with open layouts, modern technology, and easy access to transportation. With certain exceptions for newsgathering and business travel, we work on-site five days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

  • Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage

  • Company-paid pension and 401(k) match

  • Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave

  • Nine paid holidays and two personal days

  • 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent

  • Robust mental health resources

  • Backup care and caregiver concierge services

  • Gender affirming services

  • Pet insurance

  • Free Post digital subscription

  • Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

Your story awaits. Apply today!

Learn more about The Post at careers.washingtonpost.com.

About Washington Post

The Washington Post is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most-widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large international audience. Daily broadsheet editions are printed for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The newspaper has won the Pulitzer Prize 65 times for its work, the second-most of any publication. It is considered a newspaper of record in the U.S. Post journalists have also received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards. The paper is well known for its political reporting and is one of the few remaining American newspapers to operate foreign bureaus. The Post was founded in 1877. In its early years, it went through several owners and struggled both financially and editorially. Financier Eugene Meyer purchased it out of bankruptcy in 1933 and revived its health and reputation, work continued by his successors Katharine and Phil Graham, who bought out several rival publications. The Post's 1971 printing of the Pentagon Papers helped spur opposition to the Vietnam War. Subsequently, in the best-known episode in the newspaper's history, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the American press's investigation into what became known as the Watergate scandal, which resulted in the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. The advent of the internet expanded the Post's national and international reach. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the newspaper to Nash Holdings, a holding company owned by Jeff Bezos, for $250 million.
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