The White House escalated its long-running feud with the news media last week by launching a controversial "Media Offenders" webpage. The site is dedicated to disparaging news organizations that publish coverage the administration deems unfavorable, featuring an "Offender Hall of Shame" and a "Media Offender of the Week" section.
A Blunder Undermines the Message
However, the initiative quickly encountered a significant credibility problem. Shortly after the page went live, the White House mistakenly identified a reporter as a Fox News staffer and listed the conservative outlet on the hall of shame. The alleged offenses cited were "bias" and being "woke."
Fox News swiftly objected, clarifying that the reporter in question did not work for them. A network spokesperson informed The Washington Post it was a clear case of mistaken identity. Following these objections, Fox News was quietly removed from the webpage over the weekend. An updated version no longer mentions the outlet, which is often characterized as favorable to President Trump.
Expanding the List of 'Offenders'
By Monday, the website had named new targets for its weekly feature. The Boston Globe, CBS News, and The Independent were labeled the "offenders of the week." The White House accused them of "subversion" for reporting last month that President Donald Trump had suggested Democratic veterans in Congress should be hanged. This remark was reportedly made after the lawmakers urged U.S. military service members not to obey illegal orders.
A Pattern of Confrontation with the Press
This new webpage is part of a broader pattern of hostility toward the media that has become a core feature of Trump's second term. Last month, the president verbally abused a veteran White House reporter, calling her "piggy" after she asked about the Jeffrey Epstein files. He later called an ABC reporter "insubordinate" for a similar line of questioning.
Beyond daily tirades, the Trump administration has pursued legal action against media companies. Lawsuits and threats have been filed against several major outlets, including:
- Threatening to sue the British Broadcasting Corporation for $5 billion.
- Suing the New York Times for $15 billion (a lawsuit already dismissed by a court).
- Targeting CBS News' parent company for $20 billion (the case settled for $16 million, after which the company secured merger approval from the administration).
- Threatening The Wall Street Journal with a $10 billion lawsuit (owner Rupert Murdoch, a Trump ally, struck a deal).
- ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit from Trump for $15 million.
The "Media Offenders" page, intended to publicly shame critical journalism, has instead spotlighted the administration's combative stance and, due to its initial error, raised questions about its diligence and credibility.
