Matt Mullenweg Needs to Step Down.

Mr. Mullenweg’s covert demand that WP Engine pay tens of millions of dollars to his for-profit company, Automattic, while publicly presenting himself as an altruistic protector of the WordPress community, is not only disingenuous but also harmful. When WP Engine refused to comply with these unreasonable demands, Mr. Mullenweg retaliated by cutting off plugin and theme updates for over one million websites hosted on WP Engine, disrupting countless businesses and users who rely on these critical updates for security and functionality. This aggressive action sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that he could wield his influence over the WordPress ecosystem to similarly target any company in the future that does not align with his personal or financial interests.

Mr. Mullenweg’s behavior undermines the trust and stability of the entire ecosystem, and his conduct, both harmful and unethical, must end immediately.