Trump Introduces “Media Offender of the Week” and “Hall of Shame” on White House Website Featuring CBS News
Donald Trump’s Online Campaign Against Media Intensifies Amid Ongoing National Guard Incident
This week, former President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against the media, launching an official "Media Offender of the Week" page on the White House website. This move comes in the wake of his controversial remarks about female journalists and amidst national unrest following the tragic shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
The new digital initiative aims to catalog what the Trump administration deems "false and misleading stories" reported by the media, alongside a "Hall of Shame" that includes examples of media coverage the White House finds objectionable. The site invites visitors to "Scroll for the Truth," framing Trump’s allegations against various news outlets.
Notably, the site criticizes CBS News, now under the leadership of Bari Weiss, for its coverage of Trump’s response to a video featuring Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and others urging military personnel to disobey unlawful orders. In an online post, Trump accused Kelly and his colleagues of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH," and shared comments calling for extreme actions against them.
The White House ranks various outlets on its "Media Offenders" page, including CBS News, the Boston Globe, and the UK’s The Independent. The administration argues that these outlets misrepresented Trump’s statements regarding accountability for alleged sedition, specifically claiming he called for the "execution" of Congress members.
As the narrative unfolds, the White House maintains that "President Trump has never issued an illegal order." Nonetheless, Trump’s digital campaign reflects a historical pattern of his administration challenging media narratives that conflict with his own.
This latest initiative, announced through various White House social media channels and highlighted by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, differs from past critiques as it documents a long list of media segments and articles deemed unfavorable by the administration. The site features a leaderboard that includes CNN, MSNBC, and the Washington Post, pointing to a broader move to actively confront critical coverage.
Recently, Trump expressed positive sentiments about CBS News and its new leadership during a 60 Minutes interview, previously calling Weiss “a great person” and praising the changes at CBS as beneficial for a "free and open" press.
Despite this praise, the latest developments indicate a complicated relationship between Trump and some media entities, reinforcing his ongoing battle with narratives he disagrees with. As he steadily positions for the 2028 election, the implications of this digital campaign could resonate significantly in both political and media landscapes moving forward.
