The Contrarian Press Release

January 13, 2025

Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen Announce The Contrarian

New Media Project Will Feature Leading Pro-Democracy Commentators

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen launched The Contrarian, a new independent media project unencumbered by corporate interests. The Contrarian will feature both political and cultural commentary in defense of democracy with multiple daily Substack columns, a YouTube channel, podcasts, and more.

To launch this new venture, Rubin has announced that, effective today, she has resigned from The Washington Post. She and Eisen will be joined by a stellar group of over two dozen contributors.

“We’ve watched as corporate and billionaire owners of media outlets abused their audiences’ loyalty and undercut journalism’s vital role in a free democracy,” said Rubin. “Instead of safeguarding democratic values, they have enabled the gravest threats to democracy – Donald Trump and his allies – at the very time when a robust and independent press is most essential. We need an alternative, truly independent outlet that is unafraid of the administration and unwilling to equivocate or bend the knee.”

“Our vision for The Contrarian is a defiant and uncompromising platform free from false equivalence,” said Eisen. “The voices we’ll be featuring are diverse across parties and generations, connected by the shared belief that we need an unshackled media in order to meet this moment, as we face an existential threat to American democracy.”

The Contrarian will feature content from a broad range of respected voices in law, politics, foreign policy, and culture.

Contributors include: Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Andrew Weissmann, Andy Borowitz, Asha Rangappa, Barb McQuade, Bob Kagan, David Litt, Esosa Osa, George Conway, Harry Litman, Ilan Goldenberg, John Dean, Jon Alter, Joyce Vance, Justin Nelson, Karen Agnifilo, Katie Phang, Kim Lane Scheppele, Larry Tribe, Lavora Barnes, Marissa Rothkopf, Mike Podhorzer, Nancy Gertner, Renato Mariotti, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Sherrilyn Ifill, Stephen Richer, Steve Vladeck, Tom Joscelyn, and Olivia Julianna.

In keeping with its mission to make independent, fact-based, pro-democracy media available to everybody, The Contrarian will offer free content alongside its paid subscription content. Rubin and Eisen welcome the public to join The Contrarian’s new venture in defense of democracy. Readers can subscribe here and follow The Contrarian on Bluesky at @contrariannews.bsky.social. The Contrarian will not be on X or Threads.

For press inquiries, please reach out to Maura McDonough at maura.mcdonough@deweysquare.com.

Jennifer Rubin is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Contrarian. She was previously an opinion columnist at The Washington Post covering domestic and foreign policy, legal issues and media. She previously practiced law for two decades. Follow Jen on Bluesky at @jenrubin.bsky.social.

Ambassador Norman Eisen (ret.) is the co-founder of The Contrarian. He is a frequent oped and cable commentator, a former White House Ethics Czar, diplomat and lead counsel in the first Trump impeachment. Follow Norm on Bluesky at @normeisen.bsky.social.