Trump and the Press

President Trump has spent years demonizing the press. He popularized the phrase “fake news” and branded journalists the “enemy of the people.” He frequently sues news outlets. His administration is investigating broadcasters. Trump and his followers falsely claim that news organizations, including The Times, are bankrolled by the government.

Bashing the press is a time-honored tradition for presidents of both parties. But Trump has gone much further, attacking the very notion of an independent news media, one that will refute his distortions. He wants journalists to parrot his views and face consequences if they don’t. In today’s newsletter, we’ll look at how the president is already acting on his threats — and what additional peril the press faces in the Trump era.

Trump vs. journalism

Trump’s crackdown on the press began almost immediately after he returned to office.

The White House excluded Associated Press reporters from events because the wire service wouldn’t reclassify the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. It plans to select which reporters and news outlets are part of the press pool that covers the president, a tactic used by authoritarian leaders. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating whether TV networks like CBS and PBS are operating in the public interest, as required by law. An administration official accused a Voice of America reporter of treason when he quoted someone who had criticized Trump.

Media executives and lawyers expect more of the same. The Justice Department could prosecute reporters under anti-spying laws. Some news outlets are bracing for retaliatory investigations into their compliance with immigration and tax laws.