diff --git a/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.test.tsx b/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c797f11ffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import React from "react"
+import { renderWithProviders, screen, user, waitFor } from "@/test-utils"
+import { setMockResponse, factories, urls, makeRequest } from "api/test-utils"
+import { WebsiteContentDraftListingPage } from "./WebsiteContentDraftListingPage"
+
+const mockPush = jest.fn()
+jest.mock("next/navigation", () => ({
+  useRouter: () => ({ push: mockPush }),
+}))
+
+const setupEditor = () => {
+  setMockResponse.get(
+    urls.userMe.get(),
+    factories.user.user({ is_authenticated: true, is_article_editor: true }),
+  )
+}
+
+describe("WebsiteContentDraftListingPage delete", () => {
+  test("editor can delete a draft after confirming", async () => {
+    setupEditor()
+    const draft = factories.websiteContent.websiteContent({
+      title: "My Draft",
+      content_type: "news",
+      is_published: false,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(expect.stringContaining("/api/v1/website_content/"), {
+      count: 1,
+      next: null,
+      previous: null,
+      results: [draft],
+    })
+    setMockResponse.delete(urls.websiteContent.details(draft.id), null)
+
+    renderWithProviders(<WebsiteContentDraftListingPage contentType="news" />)
+
+    const deleteButton = await screen.findByRole("button", {
+      name: `Delete ${draft.title}`,
+    })
+    await user.click(deleteButton)
+
+    // Confirmation dialog appears; clicking "Yes, delete" fires the request.
+    const confirm = await screen.findByRole("button", { name: "Yes, delete" })
+    await user.click(confirm)
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(makeRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          method: "delete",
+          url: urls.websiteContent.details(draft.id),
+        }),
+      )
+    })
+  })
+
+  test("offers no delete action for published content", async () => {
+    setupEditor()
+    // The API only rejects this with a 400, so the button must not be offered
+    // even if a published item reaches this list.
+    const published = factories.websiteContent.websiteContent({
+      title: "Already Published",
+      content_type: "news",
+      is_published: true,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(expect.stringContaining("/api/v1/website_content/"), {
+      count: 1,
+      next: null,
+      previous: null,
+      results: [published],
+    })
+
+    renderWithProviders(<WebsiteContentDraftListingPage contentType="news" />)
+
+    await screen.findByText(published.title)
+    expect(
+      screen.queryByRole("button", { name: `Delete ${published.title}` }),
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.tsx b/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.tsx
index 5a08eb4841..aab32e5d15 100644
--- a/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.tsx
+++ b/frontends/main/src/app-pages/WebsiteContent/WebsiteContentDraftListingPage.tsx
@@ -19,11 +19,16 @@ import type {
   WebsiteContentApiWebsiteContentListRequest as WebsiteContentListRequest,
 } from "api/v1"
 import { LocalDate } from "ol-utilities"
-import { RiArrowLeftLine, RiArrowRightLine } from "@remixicon/react"
+import {
+  RiArrowLeftLine,
+  RiArrowRightLine,
+  RiDeleteBinLine,
+} from "@remixicon/react"
 import { extractFirstImage } from "@/common/websiteContentUtils"
 import { websiteContentEditView, websiteContentCreateView } from "@/common/urls"
 import RestrictedRoute from "@/components/RestrictedRoute/RestrictedRoute"
-import { ButtonLink } from "@mitodl/smoot-design"
+import { Button, ButtonLink } from "@mitodl/smoot-design"
+import { showDeleteWebsiteContentDialog } from "@/page-components/WebsiteContentDialogs/DeleteWebsiteContentDialog"
 
 const PAGE_SIZE = 20
 
@@ -45,6 +50,9 @@ const PageHeader = styled.div`
   align-items: center;
   margin-bottom: 40px;
 `
+const StyledDeleteButton = styled(Button)`
+  padding-bottom: 0;
+`
 
 const DraftContentCard = styled(Card)`
   display: flex;
@@ -112,6 +120,25 @@ const DraftItem: React.FC<{ contentItem: WebsiteContent; type: string }> = ({
           </>
         )}
       </Card.Footer>
+      {/*
+        Only drafts are deletable — the API rejects deleting published content
+        with a 400. This page filters to drafts, so the guard is belt-and-braces:
+        it keeps the UI honest about the backend rule if a published item ever
+        reaches this list.
+      */}
+      {!contentItem.is_published && (
+        <Card.Actions>
+          <StyledDeleteButton
+            variant="text"
+            size="small"
+            aria-label={`Delete ${contentItem.title}`}
+            startIcon={<RiDeleteBinLine />}
+            onClick={() => showDeleteWebsiteContentDialog(contentItem)}
+          >
+            Delete
+          </StyledDeleteButton>
+        </Card.Actions>
+      )}
     </DraftContentCard>
   )
 }
diff --git a/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/contentTypes/news/NewsEditor.happydom.test.tsx b/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/contentTypes/news/NewsEditor.happydom.test.tsx
index 3d2493ab96..1f72049a56 100644
--- a/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/contentTypes/news/NewsEditor.happydom.test.tsx
+++ b/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/contentTypes/news/NewsEditor.happydom.test.tsx
@@ -1598,3 +1598,77 @@ describe("NewsEditor - Byline publish date", () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText("Jan 1, 2020")).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 })
+
+describe("NewsEditor - Delete draft", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks()
+  })
+
+  test("editor can delete a draft from the edit toolbar", async () => {
+    const user = factories.user.user({
+      is_authenticated: true,
+      is_article_editor: true,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(urls.userMe.get(), user)
+
+    const newsItem = factories.websiteContent.websiteContent({
+      id: 321,
+      title: "Draft to delete",
+      content_type: "news",
+      is_published: false,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(urls.websiteContent.details(newsItem.id), newsItem)
+    setMockResponse.delete(urls.websiteContent.details(newsItem.id), null)
+
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <NewsEditor newsItem={newsItem} onSave={mockOnSave} />,
+      {
+        user,
+      },
+    )
+
+    await screen.findByTestId("editor")
+
+    await userEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("button", { name: "Delete" }))
+    await userEvent.click(
+      await screen.findByRole("button", { name: "Yes, delete" }),
+    )
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(makeRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          method: "delete",
+          url: urls.websiteContent.details(newsItem.id),
+        }),
+      )
+    })
+  })
+
+  test("delete button is not shown for published content", async () => {
+    const user = factories.user.user({
+      is_authenticated: true,
+      is_article_editor: true,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(urls.userMe.get(), user)
+
+    const newsItem = factories.websiteContent.websiteContent({
+      id: 322,
+      title: "Published item",
+      content_type: "news",
+      is_published: true,
+    })
+    setMockResponse.get(urls.websiteContent.details(newsItem.id), newsItem)
+
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <NewsEditor newsItem={newsItem} onSave={mockOnSave} />,
+      {
+        user,
+      },
+    )
+
+    await screen.findByTestId("editor")
+    expect(
+      screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Delete" }),
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/core/WebsiteContentEditor.tsx b/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/core/WebsiteContentEditor.tsx
index c92fa885d7..620e045538 100644
--- a/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/core/WebsiteContentEditor.tsx
+++ b/frontends/main/src/page-components/TiptapEditor/core/WebsiteContentEditor.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import { Alert, Button, ButtonLink } from "@mitodl/smoot-design"
 import { useUserHasPermission, Permission } from "api/hooks/user"
 import { useQueryClient, type QueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query"
 import dynamic from "next/dynamic"
+import { useRouter } from "next-nprogress-bar"
+import { RiDeleteBinLine } from "@remixicon/react"
+import { showDeleteWebsiteContentDialog } from "@/page-components/WebsiteContentDialogs/DeleteWebsiteContentDialog"
 
 import { Toolbar } from "../vendor/components/tiptap-ui-primitive/toolbar"
 import { TiptapEditor, MainToolbarContent, TipTapViewer } from "../TiptapEditor"
@@ -210,6 +213,7 @@ const WebsiteContentEditor = ({
   uploadImageRef.current = uploadImage
 
   const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+  const router = useRouter()
   const isArticleEditor = useUserHasPermission(Permission.ArticleEditor)
 
   const uploadHandler = useCallback<UploadHandler>(
@@ -408,6 +412,21 @@ const WebsiteContentEditor = ({
               ) : (
                 <StyledToolbar>
                   <MainToolbarContent editor={editor} />
+                  {contentItem && !contentItem.is_published ? (
+                    <Button
+                      variant="text"
+                      size="small"
+                      disabled={isPending}
+                      startIcon={<RiDeleteBinLine />}
+                      onClick={() =>
+                        showDeleteWebsiteContentDialog(contentItem, () =>
+                          router.push(websiteContentDraftsView(contentType)),
+                        )
+                      }
+                    >
+                      Delete
+                    </Button>
+                  ) : null}
                   {!contentItem?.is_published ? (
                     <Button
                       variant="secondary"
diff --git a/frontends/main/src/page-components/WebsiteContentDialogs/DeleteWebsiteContentDialog.tsx b/frontends/main/src/page-components/WebsiteContentDialogs/DeleteWebsiteContentDialog.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a5c82e3bb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontends/main/src/page-components/WebsiteContentDialogs/DeleteWebsiteContentDialog.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import React, { useCallback } from "react"
+import NiceModal, { muiDialogV5 } from "@ebay/nice-modal-react"
+import { Dialog } from "ol-components"
+import { useWebsiteContentDestroy } from "api/hooks/website_content"
+import type { WebsiteContent } from "api/v1"
+
+type DeletableContent = Pick<WebsiteContent, "id" | "title" | "content_type">
+
+type DeleteWebsiteContentDialogProps = {
+  contentItem: DeletableContent
+  /** Called after the item is successfully deleted (e.g. to redirect). */
+  onDestroy?: () => void
+}
+
+const CONTENT_TYPE_LABELS: Record<string, string> = {
+  article: "Article",
+  news: "News",
+}
+
+/**
+ * Confirmation dialog for soft-deleting a draft article/news item. Only drafts
+ * are deletable (enforced by the backend); this dialog is only surfaced on
+ * draft-editing views.
+ */
+const DeleteWebsiteContentDialog = NiceModal.create(
+  ({ contentItem, onDestroy }: DeleteWebsiteContentDialogProps) => {
+    const modal = NiceModal.useModal()
+    const destroy = useWebsiteContentDestroy()
+    const label = CONTENT_TYPE_LABELS[contentItem.content_type ?? ""] ?? "Item"
+
+    // Closing is Dialog's job: it awaits onConfirm and then calls the onClose
+    // that muiDialogV5 wires to modal.hide(). Hiding here as well would drive
+    // the same transition twice and race Dialog's own post-confirm state
+    // update. On a rejected mutation Dialog skips onClose, so the dialog
+    // correctly stays open for the user to retry.
+    const handleConfirm = useCallback(async () => {
+      await destroy.mutateAsync(contentItem.id)
+      onDestroy?.()
+    }, [destroy, contentItem, onDestroy])
+
+    return (
+      <Dialog
+        {...muiDialogV5(modal)}
+        onConfirm={handleConfirm}
+        title={`Delete ${label}`}
+        confirmText="Yes, delete"
+      >
+        Are you sure you want to delete &ldquo;{contentItem.title}&rdquo;?
+      </Dialog>
+    )
+  },
+)
+
+/** Open the delete-confirmation dialog for a draft content item. */
+export const showDeleteWebsiteContentDialog = (
+  contentItem: DeletableContent,
+  onDestroy?: () => void,
+) => NiceModal.show(DeleteWebsiteContentDialog, { contentItem, onDestroy })
+
+export default DeleteWebsiteContentDialog
diff --git a/website_content/migrations/0006_add_deleted_on_to_websitecontent.py b/website_content/migrations/0006_add_deleted_on_to_websitecontent.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1bba2bd38d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website_content/migrations/0006_add_deleted_on_to_websitecontent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("website_content", "0005_add_cover_image_to_websitecontent"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="websitecontent",
+            name="deleted_on",
+            field=models.DateTimeField(blank=True, default=None, null=True),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/website_content/models.py b/website_content/models.py
index ab1469a973..544de51c04 100644
--- a/website_content/models.py
+++ b/website_content/models.py
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ class WebsiteContent(TimestampedModel):
         default=WebsiteContentType.news.name,
     )
     cover_image = models.URLField(max_length=2083, blank=True, default="")
+    # Soft-delete marker. When set, the item is treated as deleted: it is
+    # excluded from all API listings/detail views but kept in the database for
+    # recovery/audit. Only unpublished (draft) items may be soft-deleted.
+    deleted_on = models.DateTimeField(null=True, blank=True, default=None)
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """Auto-populate slug and cover_image before persisting."""
diff --git a/website_content/views.py b/website_content/views.py
index 78af11d3a3..ce3a32580d 100644
--- a/website_content/views.py
+++ b/website_content/views.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db import transaction
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
+from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
 from drf_spectacular.utils import (
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
 )
 from rest_framework import status, viewsets
 from rest_framework.decorators import action
+from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError
 from rest_framework.permissions import IsAuthenticated
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
@@ -61,7 +63,9 @@ class WebsiteContentViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
     filterset_class = WebsiteContentFilter
 
     def get_queryset(self):
-        qs = WebsiteContent.objects.all()
+        # Soft-deleted items are hidden everywhere (list, retrieve,
+        # detail-by-id-or-slug all route through get_queryset).
+        qs = WebsiteContent.objects.filter(deleted_on__isnull=True)
         if not (is_admin_user(self.request) or is_website_content_editor(self.request)):
             qs = qs.filter(is_published=True)
 
@@ -94,7 +98,16 @@ def perform_update(self, serializer):
         content_published_actions(content=content)
 
     def perform_destroy(self, instance):
-        super().perform_destroy(instance)
+        # Only drafts may be deleted. Published content is out of scope and
+        # deleting it is rejected rather than hidden.
+        if instance.is_published:
+            msg = "Published content cannot be deleted."
+            raise ValidationError(msg)
+        # Soft delete: mark the row rather than removing it, and bypass the
+        # model's save() override (which recomputes slug/cover_image) so this
+        # is a targeted single-field write.
+        now = timezone.now()
+        WebsiteContent.objects.filter(pk=instance.pk).update(deleted_on=now)
         transaction.on_commit(clear_views_cache)
 
     @extend_schema(
diff --git a/website_content/views_test.py b/website_content/views_test.py
index 6260c7b84c..1cf30dc896 100644
--- a/website_content/views_test.py
+++ b/website_content/views_test.py
@@ -178,16 +178,14 @@ def test_update_clears_views_cache(
     assert mock_clear_views_cache.called is True
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("is_published", [True, False])
-def test_destroy_clears_views_cache(
+def test_destroy_draft_soft_deletes(
     staff_client,
     user,
     mock_clear_views_cache,
     django_capture_on_commit_callbacks,
-    is_published,
 ):
-    """Destroy clears the view cache on commit, published or draft."""
-    content = _make_content(user, is_published=is_published)
+    """Deleting a draft soft-deletes it and clears the view cache on commit."""
+    content = _make_content(user, is_published=False)
     url = reverse(
         "website_content:v1:website_content-detail", kwargs={"pk": content.id}
     )
@@ -197,6 +195,57 @@ def test_destroy_clears_views_cache(
     assert resp.status_code == 204
     assert mock_clear_views_cache.called is True
 
+    # Row is kept in the DB but marked deleted.
+    content.refresh_from_db()
+    assert content.deleted_on is not None
+
+
+def test_soft_deleted_content_hidden_from_api(staff_client, user):
+    """Soft-deleted items are excluded from list and detail endpoints."""
+    content = _make_content(user, is_published=False)
+    staff_client.delete(
+        reverse("website_content:v1:website_content-detail", kwargs={"pk": content.id})
+    )
+
+    list_url = reverse("website_content:v1:website_content-list")
+    list_ids = [item["id"] for item in staff_client.get(list_url).json()["results"]]
+    assert content.id not in list_ids
+
+    detail_url = reverse(
+        "website_content:v1:website_content-detail-by-id-or-slug",
+        kwargs={"identifier": str(content.id)},
+    )
+    assert staff_client.get(detail_url).status_code == 404
+
+
+def test_destroy_published_rejected(staff_client, user):
+    """Published content cannot be deleted; the row is left untouched."""
+    content = _make_content(user, is_published=True)
+    url = reverse(
+        "website_content:v1:website_content-detail", kwargs={"pk": content.id}
+    )
+    resp = staff_client.delete(url)
+
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+    content.refresh_from_db()
+    assert content.deleted_on is None
+
+
+def test_destroy_forbidden_for_non_editor(client, user):
+    """A non-staff, non-editor user cannot delete content."""
+    normal_user = UserFactory.create(is_staff=False)
+    client.force_login(normal_user)
+
+    content = _make_content(user, is_published=False)
+    url = reverse(
+        "website_content:v1:website_content-detail", kwargs={"pk": content.id}
+    )
+    resp = client.delete(url)
+
+    assert resp.status_code == 403
+    content.refresh_from_db()
+    assert content.deleted_on is None
+
 
 def test_content_type_filter(client, user):
     """content_type query param should filter results"""