The White House has unveiled a controversial new website dedicated to tracking what it deems 'media bias', in the latest escalation of Donald Trump's long-running feud with the mainstream press.
A 'Hall of Shame' for Critical Reporting
The site, launched last Friday, features a 'Hall of Shame' and names 'media offenders of the week', specifically targeting outlets and journalists whose reporting has drawn the President's ire. It employs inflammatory language, accusing some organisations of 'left wing lunacy'.
Among those singled out are the Boston Globe and CBS News, accused of producing 'misleading and biased' work. The platform also names individual reporters, continuing a pattern of personal attacks from the President. In recent weeks, Trump has threatened to sue the BBC, labelled a White House reporter 'piggy', and told ABC News's Mary Bruce she was a 'terrible person and a terrible reporter'.
The site's initial focus is on media coverage of Trump's reaction to a video by six Democratic members of Congress. The lawmakers' message reminded military and intelligence personnel that they are not obliged to follow illegal orders, a principle rooted in their oath to the Constitution. Trump demanded the legislators be arrested and tried for 'seditious' behaviour, later amplifying a social media post that shouted 'HANG THEM'.
Exposing a Bubble, Not Bias
While the White House claims the site 'exposes' misleading journalism, critics argue it reveals something far more significant: the deepening bubble of isolation and sycophancy that surrounds the President.
As reported in The Atlantic, Trump's world has shrunk considerably. His social media activity is largely confined to his own platform, Truth Social, and his travel rarely involves encounters with ordinary voters. Instead, he is increasingly surrounded by wealthy donors and media personalities from the MAGA universe.
'Given that bubble, harsh reality via the media is a rude intrusion,' observes Guardian US columnist Margaret Sullivan. The bias tracker, she argues, is a transparent effort to discredit that uncomfortable reality.
Desperation Ahead of the Midterms
The move comes at a time of growing political vulnerability for Trump. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll placed his overall approval rating at just 38%, the lowest since his return to the presidency and a dramatic fall since the start of his second term. With crucial midterm elections less than a year away, his grip on the Republican party has also shown signs of weakening.
Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, told the Washington Post that the public is unlikely to trust an administration appointing itself as the arbiter of media fairness. 'People understand the obvious conflict,' Stern stated.
While holding the press accountable for inaccuracies is a valid pursuit, this initiative is widely seen as a political tool, not a genuine exercise in media criticism. It represents a continued strategy of blaming the media for political troubles, a tactic that is unlikely to help Trump escape the bubble of his own making.
