Vice President's Media Critique Called Deliberate 'Public Opinion Manipulation'
Vice President JD Vance's recent characterization of journalists as one of the "least trusted institutions" in America represents more than mere political rhetoric, according to experts in history, journalism, and constitutional law. During an interview with conservative commentator Megyn Kelly this week, Vance launched a broadside against the White House press corps, accusing journalists of pervasive "political bias" and claiming the public distrusts media because reporters appear "angry all the time" and present "fake" coverage.
The 'Angry All the Time' Allegation
"The media is one of the least trusted institutions in the United States of America," Vance asserted during the conversation. "More people would trust them, more people would like them, if they actually expressed the range of emotions." The vice president specifically criticized what he perceives as constant antagonism from journalists, stating: "I'm not saying you have to agree with everything that me or President [Donald] Trump do, but nobody is angry all the time. And when you come across as angry all the time, it's just fake."
This criticism emerged during a discussion about President Trump's recent viral exchange with CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who was questioning Trump about newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents when the president admonished her for not smiling. Vance praised Trump's response, telling Kelly: "Even if you're asking a tough question, even if you take your job very seriously, why does it always have to be so antagonistic?"
A Historical Pattern of Media Confrontation
Heather Hendershot, a historian and professor of communications studies and journalism at Northwestern University, identifies Vance's remarks as part of a deliberate strategy. "Calling the media one of the 'least trusted institutions' is a tactic," Hendershot explained. While acknowledging that public confidence in media has declined, she argues the Trump administration's "real problem" isn't media distrust but rather "a lack of confidence not in news, but in the White House's authoritarian objectives."
Hendershot draws parallels to previous administrations, noting that President Richard Nixon "was the first one to really weaponize his rage against his enemies in the media, both real and imagined." She cites Nixon's efforts to undermine Public Broadcasting Service funding, wiretap reporters, harass journalists with tax audits, and threaten television stations with license revocation. However, Hendershot contends the Trump administration has been "much worse" in its effectiveness, succeeding "where Nixon failed in undermining the mainstream media, harming PBS, and seriously weakening major institutions such as the Washington Post and the CBS news division."
First Amendment Experts Identify 'Rhetorical Straw Man'
Bryan Adamson, a law professor specializing in First Amendment law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, characterizes Vance's criticism as "public opinion manipulation." He describes it as "a tactic that is part of the strategy to diminish trust in venerable institutions, and redirect that trust towards the President and his preferred media outlets." According to Adamson, this approach represents "core public opinion manipulation that has worked like so much of Trump's efforts to control narratives."
Adamson explains the methodology: "The Trump administration creates the 'rhetorical straw man' — which is, what they call, 'fake news' — and they repeat it, or variations of it, over and over, no matter how baseless. Compatriots amplify the message, and eventually opinion polls on public trust in the news erodes. Then, Vance, Trump and their ilk are able to point to the very conditions they have cynically created as proof."
Journalism's Essential 'Watchdog Function'
Experts strongly dispute Vance's suggestion that journalists take themselves "too seriously." Hendershot emphasizes that in a healthy democracy, journalists serve a crucial "watchdog function" that "might mean revealing cover-ups, ferreting out injustices, or simply holding those in power accountable." She adds: "That's truly serious work, and I can't imagine how one might undertake such work 'too seriously.'"
Regarding the specific criticism of Kaitlan Collins' questioning about Epstein documents, Hendershot notes that Collins "is covering topics that deserve gravitas, like the fallout from the Epstein files for survivors of his abuse," calling Trump and Vance's reaction "not only obviously sexist but just plain foolish."
Les Rose, a professor of broadcast and digital journalism at Syracuse University's Newhouse School and longtime CBS News staffer, underscores journalism's constitutional importance: "Journalism is so important that it is protected in the First Amendment — not the 17th or the 27th. Seeking the truth should not be confused with anger. Asking tough, probing questions is not an act of hostility, and providing a check on government power should not be characterized as emotional or self-important. These are core functions of a free press in a democratic society."
Political Context and Image Management
Hendershot suggests Vance's interview with Kelly might represent a "feeble attempt at image correction and control," particularly given Trump's low approval ratings and growing perception as authoritarian. She observes that Vance appeared "smiling and relaxed" during the interview, "attempting to convey an image more likable than villainous."
"Republicans are often shown in the news as the party promoting violence and an end to democracy, and minimizing the importance of the Epstein files," Hendershot notes, "but Vance seems to be saying that the problem is not that accurate perception of the party but, rather, the fact that the people who produce the news just need to lighten up."
Ultimately, Hendershot believes Vance's criticism reveals a deeper disregard for journalism's essential role: "When Vance suggests that journalists are too serious, he might seem to be making a lighthearted comment, but implicitly, he's revealing his disinterest in journalism's watchdog function. That, of course, is just one symptom of our current political crisis: Our democracy is not healthy."
