White House Launches New Section to Highlight Media Criticism

The White House has introduced a new feature on its website titled “Media Offender of the Week,” aimed at criticizing news organizations it deems misleading or biased. Launched on March 15, 2024, the section includes a banner reading “Misleading. Biased. Exposed.” and lists various media outlets and individual reporters that have been highlighted for their coverage.

The first wave of criticism included outlets such as CBS News, The Boston Globe, and The Independent, which the White House accused of misrepresenting statements made by former President Donald Trump. According to the White House, these organizations exaggerated Trump’s remarks regarding accountability for members of Congress, specifically those he claimed were involved in “seditious behavior.”

The controversy stems from a video in which Senator Mark Kelly and five other Congress members advised military personnel that they could disobey illegal orders, emphasizing their oath to uphold the Constitution. Following this, Trump took to Truth Social to express his disapproval, stating that their comments amounted to “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL” and suggesting that they should be “ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL.” He further amplified his remarks by stating, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”

In its defense, the White House maintains that all orders issued by Trump were lawful and accuses the media of inciting insubordination within the military. The new section asserts, “It is dangerous for sitting Members of Congress to incite insubordination in the United States’ military, and President Trump called for them to be held accountable.”

Offender Hall of Shame and Repeat Offenders

The “Media Offender of the Week” page also features an “Offender Hall of Shame,” which currently lists other notable outlets such as The Washington Post, CNN, and MSNBC, accusing them of various offenses in their reporting. The Washington Post has responded to the White House’s claims by stating, “The Washington Post is proud of its accurate, rigorous journalism.”

In addition to the weekly offenders, the site identifies several “repeat offenders,” including Axios, The New York Times, and BBC. Users can interact with the site by selecting an outlet from a drop-down menu to view its specific alleged offense.

Interestingly, the inclusion of CBS News comes shortly after Trump praised the network’s new leadership, including editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and Paramount CEO David Ellison, during a recent interview on 60 Minutes. During the interview, Trump referenced his lawsuit against Paramount Global concerning the editing of an interview with Kamala Harris, which resulted in a settlement of $16 million.

Trump remarked in the interview, “60 Minutes was forced to pay me a lot of money because they took her answer out that was so bad, it was election-changing.” He further expressed optimism about the direction of CBS, stating, “I see good things happening in the news. I really do.”

The launch of this new section reflects the ongoing tensions between the former administration and the media, as the White House seeks to directly challenge what it perceives as inaccuracies in news coverage. With media scrutiny likely to continue, the effectiveness of such a platform in influencing public perception remains to be seen.