Journalism and the Trump years

On the campaign trail, to get elected, Donald Trump used nearly every tool in the demagogue playbook: scapegoating and fear-mongering (as with Mexican immigrants, whom he called rapists and criminals), lying (his many misstatements were awarded fact-checker PolitiFact’s 2015 Lie of the Year), inciting violence (as Trump did when protesters showed up at his rallies), making outrageous promises (like making Mexico build a wall along its border with the U.S.); hurling personal insults (as when he repeatedly mocked Jeb Bush and attacked Carly Fiorina’s looks), and so on.

And the public, at least not quite half of those who voted, bought his shtick hook, line and sinker. Trump also went after the media—another tactic in the annals of demagoguery. He called reporters “scum,” sleazy” and “lying,” which was rich considering the numerous lies he told and propaganda he spread, including the false rumor that President Obama was not born in the United States (aka the “birther” theory).

Like most demagogues, including Adolph Hitler, Trump feels threatened by the Fourth Estate and its efforts to ensure that power brokers do not abuse their authority and undermine the integrity of the democracy. As a result, he has attempted to intimidate newspapers and other media outlets with the threat of lawsuits and, in the week since the general election, has ditched his press pool on several occasions without warning.

We hope that his tactics will serve only as a catalyst for the best organizations to redouble their efforts to seek transparency from his administration. That’s because the role of the media today is more essential to the health of the nation than it perhaps ever has been. Reporters and editors must be fearless in their approach to newsgathering and reporting and hold the president-elect accountable for his every move, from his recent decision to install an anti-Semite with ties to the white supremacist (aka alt-right) movement as his chief strategist, to the appointment of the other members of his cabinet.

As Trump’s inauguration approaches, the press will be watching.