Some sympathy is warranted for how difficult it’s been for so-called traditional media outlets to report on Donald Trump. He violates norms as easily as he breathes, and if there were a record for number of lies told in a single sentence, Trump would shatter it regularly. During the former president’s time in office, it was difficult to accurately convey the enormity of his deviation from precedent without sounding like a partisan operative engaged in hyperbole. Even simply reporting what Trump says can feel fraught, given how often his remarks are preposterous lies, half-truths, debunked conspiracy theories and delusions of grandeur.
Too many news outlets have had a seeming obsession to cover Trump as though he’s just like every other political candidate or officeholder. That has never been the case. It’s a habit that’s got to be broken as the marathon that is 2024 presidential race coverage hits its stride. Thankfully, there are signs that this time around mainstream political reporters and editors are more willing to call things as they see them when it comes to what a second Trump term would mean for the country, even if it means a departure from the ways they’ve previously attempted to show objectivity.
Too many news outlets have had a seeming obsession to cover Trump as though he’s just like every other political candidate or officeholder.
There is something that has seemingly made the task of honestly covering Trump less daunting this time around: Trump, his campaign and his operatives have been more than willing to plainly state his plans for a second term. His intent to turn the Justice Department into his own personal weapon is well-documented; his campaign messaging is specifically framed around his calls for revenge against his political enemies. There are hundreds of pages detailing these plans and ample reporting on their origins.
As a result, even the more “small-c conservative” outlets and reporters that would otherwise fetishize a…
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