Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has deactivated the accounts of several WordPress.org contributors who were advocating for a new fork of the open-source project. This decision follows escalating tensions after Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for its lack of contributions to the community. Key figures like Joost de Valk and Karim Marucchi have expressed intentions to lead a new initiative, while Mullenweg sarcastically suggested they could create 'JKPress.' The deactivated users, including Sé Reed and Heather Burns, have raised concerns about governance issues within WordPress. Mullenweg's actions have sparked significant debate in the community.