By Robert Weiner and Kailynn Bannon
What will happen to the media if Trump wins? Journalists must prepare for the "vindictive" vendetta he said he would foster. What can journalists do and how should they cover him?
Trump caused a lot of damage to the reputation of journalism while president. He criticized countless news outlets for "fake news" and belittled journalists. He is still at it.
Trump has threatened freedom of the press: he vowed to seek "retribution "on the news media. In 2019, he threatened a Time magazine journalist with jail time for taking a photo. He mocked journalists with disabilities, told reporters to take off their masks at the height of the pandemic, and condoned acts of violence against journalists. He also banned reporters from the White House and took legal action against several publications. To this day, at most rallies, he points to and condemns the "fake news in the back."
He even called on the government to make cable channel MSNBC "pay for their illegal political activity," claiming their criticism is a "24-hour hit job" and "the world's biggest political contribution to the Radical Left Democrats." He has made targeted attacks against MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, tweeting that maybe he should sue him.
"He wants to put MSNBC on trial for treason so that he can execute us," Maddow said.
It's not just MSNBC. Variety Magazine reports that among the outlets Trump singled out and derided as "fake news" are the New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS, CNN and the Washington Post.
Much as he pre-judged the Central Park Five for murder, he kept posting that "Morning Joe" host, Joe Scarborough, had responsibility for the death of a congressional staffer. Trump shoots from the hip and misses - but as president he would have the power to force investigations and possibly even prosecutions.
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