WordPress Drama: How Matt Mullenweg’s Actions Could Affect Businesses

Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress, has made headlines recently for a conflict that threatens to destabilize the WordPress community. Mullenweg has openly stated that the ongoing legal battle he initiated with WP Engine could lead to the eventual closure of WordPress.org. According to him, the only way to end the conflict is for WP Engine to drop their lawsuit, which would allow him to continue his efforts to push WP Engine out of business.

This ongoing saga has left many in the WordPress community feeling uncertain about their future. For those whose livelihoods depend on the platform, such as developers, freelancers, and small agencies, the ripple effects are potentially devastating. A WordPress user, who has dedicated over a decade to publishing nearly 600 free WooCommerce tutorials and 500 newsletters, expressed their concerns directly to Mullenweg on Twitter, pleading for stability.

The user tweeted:

“Dear @photomatt,
We love WordPress. It’s not just software; it’s a livelihood for thousands of developers, freelancers, and small agencies. We don’t have millions like you do—every change, every piece of WPdrama costs us time, clients, and money.
We need stability. We need to focus on building, supporting, and growing businesses, not worrying about the next big upheaval or leadership conflict. Let’s move toward clarity, collaboration, and transparency.
Please consider pausing the current direction to listen. The community wants a strong future for WordPress—one where everyone, from volunteer contributors to top-level sponsors, can work together without fear of losing what we’ve built.
We don’t ask this lightly. Our livelihoods depend on it.
Thank you.”

The Stakes: Mullenweg’s Warnings

Mullenweg has been firm in his stance, stating that WP Engine’s lawsuit is the primary roadblock to resolving the conflict. He tweeted:

“Everything I’m doing is to defend the long-term health of WordPress. The lawsuits can only be dropped by WPE, as they initiated them.”

Mullenweg further warned that the lawsuits could last years, potentially until 2026 or 2027, draining resources and even threatening the closure of WordPress.org. His remarks have sparked widespread concern among users and businesses alike.

How This Impacts Businesses

The uncertainty surrounding WordPress affects more than just developers and freelancers—it has significant implications for businesses that rely on the platform. For example, a Houston lawyer or any professional services firm that depends on a WordPress-based website for marketing, client outreach, and lead generation could face significant challenges. If WordPress.org were to shut down or become unstable, these businesses might have to migrate to another platform, incurring substantial costs for website redesigns, data migration, and SEO adjustments.

Moreover, many small to mid-sized businesses lack the resources to handle such abrupt changes. A Houston sex crimes lawyer, for instance, might lose valuable leads during the transition period, directly impacting their bottom line. This underscores the broader economic impact of Mullenweg’s actions, which extend beyond the WordPress community to the wider ecosystem of businesses that depend on the platform.

Court Rulings and Community Backlash

In a significant development, a federal judge ruled in favor of WP Engine, granting a preliminary injunction to block Mullenweg’s efforts to limit WP Engine’s access to WordPress resources. The court stated:

“The conduct described at length above – including the termination of WP Engine’s access to WordPress, the interference with the ACF plugin, and the additional burdens imposed on WP Engine’s customers, such as the sign-in pledge – demonstrates that WP Engine has a significant interest in obtaining preliminary injunctive relief.”

Despite this ruling, Mullenweg’s response has been far from reassuring. His suggestion that WP Engine must drop their lawsuit to end the conflict has left many feeling pessimistic about a resolution.

Community Reactions: Frustration and Uncertainty

The WordPress community has been vocal in its criticism of Mullenweg’s actions. A Reddit discussion about the possibility of WordPress.org closing revealed widespread frustration:

  • “Probably the most shocking thing for me at this point is that no one seems able to talk some sense into Matt.”
  • “I’m personally moving my sites to either Drupal or ClassicPress just haven’t decided yet.”
  • “Matt was in a position to just relax and enjoy his wealth and fame, but chose another path. It’s heartbreaking to watch him threaten billions of dollars of livelihoods like this.”

These sentiments reflect a growing anxiety among users and businesses who rely on WordPress. The idea that the platform’s stability could be jeopardized for years to come has left many questioning whether they should begin transitioning to alternative CMS platforms.

No End in Sight

The fact that an entire subreddit exists to discuss the ongoing conflict highlights the scale of the issue. For businesses  like lawyer, developers, and content creators, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The instability caused by Mullenweg’s actions has left the WordPress community in limbo, with no clear resolution in sight.

The question now is whether Mullenweg will listen to the community’s pleas for stability or continue down a path that could have far-reaching consequences for millions of users and businesses worldwide.

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By | 2025-01-28T19:13:27+00:00 January 28th, 2025|Featured|Comments Off on WordPress Drama: How Matt Mullenweg’s Actions Could Affect Businesses