WASHINGTON — The Washington Post announced on Friday that it will not endorse any candidate in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, breaking from a longstanding tradition of making endorsements.

Publisher Will Lewis made the announcement in a statement, clarifying that the publication is "returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates."

"We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility," Lewis said. "That is inevitable." However, he emphasized that the decision aligns with the values The Post has upheld and what the publication seeks in a leader: "character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects."

With voting just days away in the November 5 contest, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are currently in a tight race, according to the latest polls.

Notably, editorial staff at The Washington Post had prepared an endorsement for Harris over Trump, but the decision not to publish it was ultimately made by the newspaper's owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. — Agencies