Media and Trump’s Lies
This letter to the editor, by Cheri Evjen, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on August 7, 2025.
Most Americans celebrate that our government is prevented from abridging the freedom of speech or the press by the first amendment. Without an honest, energetic press corps, lies and coverups about the Vietnam War would have stood as “facts.” Scandals such as Watergate (Richard Nixon), Iran Contra (Ronald Reagan) and the scandel in the White House with Monica Lewinsky (Bill Clinton) would have been swept under the rug, as would Donald Trump’s actions that led to not one but two impeachments.
The White House Press Corps used to be watchdogs. Now they are full-time lapdogs. They never understood or they’ve forgotten what the venerable White House correspondent Helen Thomas once said: “It is our job to seek the truth and put constant pressure on our leaders until we get the answers.”
The current administration has expelled persistent reporters and their networks if they ask tough questions The Associated Press and Reuters, rated as the two least biased news sources, have been replaced by Newsmax and Blaze Media, both of whom have been judged “questionable” for promoting conspiracy theories and failing numerous fact-checks.
Members of the press pool who are not acting as shills for the President and spreading whatever propaganda they are fed have a tough choice.
Continue to provide soft coverage and never, ever ask tough questions, or challenge obvious lies and be removed from the press pool.
When the current administration dismisses something as “fake news” without explanation, Americans should assume the reporting is true. When legitimate questions are ignored and reporters are attacked personally, Americans need to ask why. When reporters are blasted for asking “stupid or evil questions” every American should consider the question, and wonder why an honest answer can’t be provided.
White House reporters should, and the American people must, call out obvious lies about the 2020 election, foreign nations paying the costs of tariffs and so much more. Both groups should ask, if the current President continues to lie about elections and tariffs, what else is he lying about?