Another line of attack: White House sets up a hall of shame for news outlets

In a bold move that intensifies his longstanding battle against what he calls “fake news,” President Donald Trump’s administration has launched a new web portal dedicated to highlighting alleged media bias, specifically targeting mainstream news organizations.

The initiative singles out several prominent outlets including the Boston Globe, CBS News, The Independent, and The Washington Post as its first “media offenders of the week.” This represents the latest chapter in Trump’s contentious relationship with the press, which has been a defining feature of both his terms in office.

The portal not only spotlights what the administration deems biased reporting but also includes an “Offender Hall of Shame” and a leaderboard ranking news organizations by the number of stories the White House disputes. Currently, The Washington Post tops the list with six stories, followed by CBS News, The New York Times, and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) with five each. Notably absent from the criticism are conservative-leaning media outlets.

“It’s honestly overwhelming to keep up with it all and to constantly have to defend against this fake news and these attacks,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, describing the portal as an effort to hold journalists accountable.

The administration has gone further, inviting “everyday Americans” to submit their own examples of perceived media bias. “So-called ‘journalists’ have made it impossible to identify every false or misleading story, which is why help from the American people is essential,” Trump’s press office stated.

This new media critique platform comes amid an increasingly combative approach toward news organizations. Trump has filed lawsuits against CBS News and The Wall Street Journal over their coverage and is currently engaged in legal battles with The Associated Press regarding media access. His administration has also moved to restructure government-run media outlets like Voice of America.

The president’s personal attacks on journalists have also intensified. In recent weeks, he reportedly told a female reporter on Air Force One to be “quiet, piggy,” described a New York Times journalist as “ugly, both inside and out,” and publicly berated an ABC News reporter as “terrible.”

Among the specific stories criticized on the portal are reports about Trump’s reaction to Democratic lawmakers who recorded a video reminding military members they were not required to follow unlawful orders. After Trump accused these lawmakers of sedition “punishable by death,” several outlets reported on his comments. The White House claims these stories misrepresented Trump’s words by suggesting he had called for the lawmakers’ executions.

Matt Murray, executive editor of The Washington Post, responded forcefully to the criticism: “Let’s be clear what’s happening here: the wrongful and intentional targeting of journalists by government officials for exercising a constitutionally protected right. The Washington Post will not be dissuaded and will continue to report rigorously and accurately in service to all of America.”

Despite the president’s consistent criticism of mainstream media, Axios recently reported that these same outlets remain “dominant as ever” in capturing Trump’s attention and setting Washington’s agenda. Jim VandeHei, Axios CEO and co-author of the report, highlighted this contradiction.

“He’s always bitched about the media and the press,” VandeHei told The Associated Press. “He gobbles this stuff up like hot McDonald’s french fries. He’s a mass consumer of this. He watches it, he calls reporters, he takes calls from reporters. … That’s always been the contradiction with him.”

The conservative media watchdog Media Research Center has welcomed the White House’s new initiative. Tim Graham, the organization’s director of media analysis, commented: “We’re pleased. It’s a stronger effort than Republican presidents have done before. I think all Republicans realize today that the media is on the other side and need to be identified as on the other side.”

However, VandeHei expressed concern about the broader implications of constantly questioning media credibility: “It makes people suspicious of the truth and the country suffers when we’re not operating from some semblance of a common truth.”