The White House has escalated its long-running conflict with the mainstream media by launching a public 'Hall of Shame' website, designed to name and shame outlets and reporters for publishing stories it deems unfavourable. However, in a notable reversal, the administration has removed conservative network Fox News from the list following an objection over a factual error.
A 'Misdirected' Criticism Leads to Removal
According to a report from the Washington Post, Fox News initially appeared on the new 'media offenders' page. The listing was triggered by what the White House claimed was a 'false and misleading story'. A spokesperson for Fox News contested the inclusion, stating the criticism was 'misdirected' because the site had incorrectly identified a reporter from another outlet as being from Fox News.
The White House subsequently removed the page dedicated to Fox News after the network raised its objection. The original link now leads to a 404 error page. The incident centred on questions posed at a press conference by then-Associated Press correspondent Tara Copp, who was mistakenly attributed to Fox News. Copp, who has since joined the Washington Post, now features as a 'media offender' in her own right for a separate story.
The 'Hall of Shame' and Its Targets
The website, launched over the weekend of Monday 1 December 2025, forms part of what the administration calls its effort to expose 'Misleading. Biased.' reporting. It lists dozens of media outlets and individual journalists, accusing them of 'misrepresentation', 'omission of context', 'bias', and 'left-wing lunacy'.
Prominent names on the list include the Washington Post, CNN, CBS News, and The Independent. The site also features a weekly 'offenders' list and a running tally going back months. A 'leaderboard' of 'repeat offenders' places the Washington Post in first place, followed by MSNBC and CBS News.
The launch was reportedly prompted by coverage of President Trump's comments regarding a group of Democratic lawmakers he dubbed the 'Seditious Six'. The White House claims the media misrepresented his call for the lawmakers to be 'held accountable' for 'inciting sedition' by reporting he had called for their 'execution'.
An Intensifying Assault on the Press
This move marks a significant formalisation of President Trump's years-long campaign against the media, which he frequently labels 'Fake News' and the 'enemy of the people'. The launch of the 'Hall of Shame' coincides with a noted increase in vitriolic, often personal attacks from the President, particularly directed at female journalists.
In recent weeks, Trump has insulted a Bloomberg reporter with a sexist slur, called an ABC News reporter 'a terrible person', and labelled a New York Times journalist 'ugly, both inside and out'. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, he called CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes 'a stupid person' for her questioning.
While the administration has backed down in the face of Fox News's complaint, it continues to target a wide array of other legacy and mainstream news organisations. The episode underscores the contentious relationship between the current White House and the Fourth Estate, raising fresh concerns about press freedom and official attempts to discredit critical reporting.
