What Trump Misunderstands About Modern Media
The president is eager to both undermine the credibility of the press and bask in its plaudits.
TL;DR
- Cornelius Mathews, in 1842, mused humorously about a future where everyone could publish their own 'sheet,' presaging the modern information age.
- Donald Trump's ban of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, later blocked by a judge, reflects a long-standing conservative political tension with the press.
- Richard Nixon's administration exhibited hostility towards the media, leveraging television's direct communication power while disliking unflattering coverage.
- Nixon's administration engaged in tactics such as the 'White House plumbers' break-in and FBI investigations to discredit journalists like Daniel Ellsberg and Daniel Schorr.
- Trump, a beneficiary of the fragmented media landscape, attempts to undermine the press while also seeking its plaudits, mirroring Nixon's desire for control.
- Despite direct communication channels like Truth Social, Trump still shows a strong belief in the power of news coverage and seeks to control narratives.