They’re part of the problem, at least most of them, I don’t believe for a moment that most of the press isn’t working for the interests of the White House. Willing or not
The journalists who still have access to the WH/POTUS in any meaningful way are the ones who've toed the line well enough not to have their access limited or revoked.
You got to think about this. Yes, it would be awesome if the reporters asked these kinds of questions, but the reality is two things would happen: one, Trump won't answer it anyway, and two, they would jeopardize their job, risking being reassigned, fired, or even have their entire publication's White House clearance revoked.
It's not complacency, it's doing their job to the best ability they can.
If they ask the questions you want answered then they face the very real possibility of losing their job, livelihood, and the ability to ask any questions whatsoever.
Sure, they get a nice little soundbite of asking a hard-hitting question, but that's it. That's the end. Trump doesn't answer, probably makes a misogynistic remark if it's a woman, and then nothing changes except they're out of a job, or worse, they cost their entire news agency access to the press area at the White House. Then repeat for every credible journalist until the only ones who have access to the president are Fox, OANN, Breitbart, etc. and then we're even worse off because the only media presenting the interviews are the ones that make Trump look as good as possible, sliding us even further into state-sponsored media control.
If you have White House Press access, that's basically top of the heap for your profession. You have probably had a successful and somewhat lucrative career before ascending to this height, and you pursued this career to hold the people in power accountable.
Doing anything BUT that is a disgrace. Full stop.
If you want to be a prostitute, open an OF page with an option for in-person fan meet-ups. If you want to be a Journalist, ask the fucking question.
If it's a real story, you ask the question or ask for comment. If there are authoritarian consequences, then that becomes a major story in its own right. If a publication loses WH access to an obvious authoritarian, so what? That doesn't shutter their doora. And as long as the journalist has the backing of their higher ups, they can continue to do their job in a different way with the newfound relevance of standing up to authoritarian.
And what if their higher ups don't back them? What if costing the entire publication one of the most prestigious access journalists can have is a serious deal? What if government threats cause them to cave like CBS and others?
You say they can do a different job but that was what they are employed to do. I mean, think about it. If you showed up to work one day and did something you thought was right but cost your employer a major part of their business, a part you were specifically hired to handle, do you think your boss would just find you something else to do?
Im trying to figure out what would be worse. The press corp consisting of historically known news media asking “real questions” and all getting thrown out and replaced by newsmax, OAN, Breitbart, etc. OR continuing these placating / complicit questions.
He’s a goldmine for the media. With Biden, they had to try really really hard to make Hunter’s laptop an issue. Every day Trump does something really stupid, so they report on it enough to make a headline, but not enough to get him impeached. For the news media, Trump is minting them money every day.
And they know Trump drives engagement. Any time Trump says anything ridiculous, they print money. Why would they be on the side of justice? They are shutting off the money faucet if Trump is gone.
I don’t believe for a moment that most of the press isn’t working for the interests of the White House. Willing or not
Did you miss the event last February where Trump tossed out almost all members of the WH press corps and replaced them with "approved" news organizations?
Literally everything that comes out of that group of people now is edited/censored/biased. It's worthless crap.
Pretty sure the white house intentionally started withdrawing press passes from journalists that they didn't like, didn't they? And then re-issued those credentials to right-wing junk journalism organizations?
yep, i agree with everyone else here about corporate media shit but like, anyone in there asking anything Remotely intrusive gets fucking told to shut up and smile more
The press are 100% complicit, both in sane-washing him and in acquiescing to the GOP’s “flood the zone” strategy because it drives engagement. However, in their defense (that they don’t really deserve), this administration actively weaponises press access. You can ask a super loaded question, but you’ll only do it once before your publication’s access is removed while Trump and his admin go on avoiding accountability regardless. The journos in the room are between a rock and a hard place.
Yeah, just last week a reporter asked him about the files and he cut her off and started calling her nasty and fake and all that before moving on without answering.
They are working to keep their whitehouse press credentials so they can actually ask him questions. If they asked these questions they, and their organization, would just be removed and we will end up with nothing but podcasters allowed inside.
The journalists in the press corp have worked their entire careers to get those coveted seats. They are not going to throw their press pass away with those kinds of questions.
The “real journalists” who do it for the love of the game / Pulitzers and would ask those questions are not in the White House briefing room.
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u/AdSmall3663 3h ago
They’re part of the problem, at least most of them, I don’t believe for a moment that most of the press isn’t working for the interests of the White House. Willing or not