Trump’s war on the media is really a war on the truth | Editorial
The president labels critical reporting as “fake news” because the reality — about chaos, corruption, and incompetence — is something he can’t afford for Americans to see.
Donald Trump’s attacks on the media are really a war on the public’s right to know.
His goal is to delegitimize critical reporting that exposes the chaos, corruption, and incompetence within his administration, distract from reality, energize his base, and establish himself as the sole arbiter of the truth.
The problem is the president is a habitual liar. He has told tens of thousands of mistruths during his time in public office, and bends the facts to fit his skewed version of events.
In his second term, this warped version of reality is virtually guaranteed. Trump has surrounded himself with pathetic yes-men who do whatever he demands and tell him what he wants to hear. The absurd theater of fawning bureaucrats praising the president during cabinet meetings resembles a spoof of a George Orwell novel.
Trump declared the U.S. won the war in Iran in March, and again in April, May, and June, but the fighting continues. He claims the economy is great, but nearly half of all Americans said they are worse off financially. He continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen, and spread repeated lies about the upcoming midterm election.
But facts are stubborn. So rather than confront the truth, Trump tries to discredit the media. He labels stories that portray him in a negative light as “fake news.”
The president has long called the media the “enemy of the people” — a phrase used by dictators, including Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler.
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Trump’s response to stories that expose his misdeeds — like dodging taxes — is to file a lawsuit. He has sued the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and other media companies.
Most of Trump’s suits get thrown out. But some media companies have capitulated. Paramount paid Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit against 60 Minutes that legal observers said was frivolous. ABC paid $15 million to settle a defamation suit that was also considered weak.
After constant complaints by Trump, Paramount-owned CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s comedy show, which frequently poked fun at the president.
More recently, Trump threatened to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC and NBC over petty issues, such as not showing his embarrassing speech claiming election fraud.
At the president’s urging, the Federal Communications Commission is reviewing the license held by the Philadelphia ABC affiliate known as WPVI, or 6abc. The public has until Wednesday to express comments about the effort, which appears to be a clear attack on the First Amendment.
The Times has been a frequent target of Trump’s. After the paper reported on security problems involving the $400 million airplane the Qatari government gifted to Trump, the U.S. Department of Justice subpoenaed the journalists who broke the story to intimidate the free press and chill leaks within the administration.
The subpoenas were withdrawn just before Trump was set to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner — where he continued his attacks on the news media.
Of course, the media is as imperfect as the men and women who work in it. But the founders understood that the free press plays a vital role in democracy by informing the public, holding leaders accountable, and providing a forum for debate.
That is why the First Amendment — which guarantees freedom of speech, freedom to protest, and freedom of religion — remains a cornerstone of our democracy and civil society.
But Trump’s attacks on the media have helped erode public trust in journalism, accelerated partisan divides, and reduced faith in democratic institutions.
Amid all the confusion, Trump has enriched himself while the country has become divided and weakened.
The independent press will do its best to report the truth, but it is up to voters to hold those in power accountable.
