Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, who was instrumental in publishing the Watergate scandal leading to the end of Richard Nixon's presidency, died Tuesday at age 93.

He is remembered for his role in making the Washington Post one of the nation's leading newspapers in the 23 years he was an editor.

Bradlee died in his home Tuesday of natural causes.

There were many markings on his wall of glory, his tenacity in the newsroom and inspiration for reporters help establish this reputation. But the one thing that sticks out about his career is his role in the Watergate era.

Bradlee may not have had his name on the articles, but he was equally responsible for the resignation of the only U.S. president in history, the Washington Post reported.

He made the decision, at the time, with the publisher Katharine Graham to print stories based on the Pentagon Papers.

The papers revealed a secret history of the Vietnam War, which the Nixon administration tried to quash from ever seeing the light of day, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed their publication.

Despite his role in aggressively pursuing the government, President Barack Obama shared kind words in a statement and honored the former editor for being a role model for the news industry.

"For Benjamin Bradlee, journalism was more than a profession -- it was a public good vital to our democracy. A true newspaperman, he transformed the Washington Post into one of the country's finest newspapers, and with him at the helm, a growing army of reporters published the Pentagon Papers, exposed Watergate, and told stories that needed to be told -- stories that helped us understand our world and one another a little bit better. The standard he set -- a standard for honest, objective, meticulous reporting - encouraged so many others to enter the profession. And that standard is why, last year, I was proud to honor Ben with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Today, we offer our thoughts and prayers to Ben's family, and all who were fortunate to share in what truly was a good life," Obama said.

The size of the newsroom as well as the paper's circulation nearly doubled in the more than two decades under Bradlee.