Donald Trump was right about CNN, the Washington Post, and other members of the so-called mainstream media. He really was "the best thing to ever happen" to them. Since Trump left office in 2021, the Post has hemorrhaged subscribers while CNN's ratings have sunk to record lows. Hundreds of journalists have been laid off as a result—one of the only positive developments to occur on President Joe Biden's watch.
Trump's various interactions with America's flawed criminal justice system have given the media an excuse to engage in the sort of smutty tabloid coverage they would otherwise condemn. On Tuesday, for example, media outlets obsessively covered the testimony of Stormy Daniels, a former porn star who allegedly slept with Trump in 2006—and still owes him $560,000 in legal fees resulting from a failed defamation lawsuit. Her former attorney, Michael Avenatti, is in prison for fraud.
Given the opportunity to publish numerous headlines using the words "Trump" and "sex," mainstream outlets rose firmly to the occasion. They gave their readers—mentally unstable liberals—exactly what they wanted, and the clicks came pouring in. Congrats!
Washington Post
New York Times
CNN
Politico / Financial Times
The Guardian / MSNBC
