The Washington Post’s opinion editor, David Shipley, is exiting as the newspaper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, said the section’s focus would narrow to defend “personal liberties and free markets.”

“I am of America and for America, and proud to be so,” Bezos said. “And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else.”

In a note to opinion staff members, Shipley said he decided to step down “after reflection on how I can best move forward in the profession I love.”

The new direction for the opinion section appears to be a rightward shift for the paper. Bezos’ new focus echoes the informal tagline of The Wall Street Journal’s conservative opinion pages: “Free markets, free people.” — The New York Times