Trump Isn't Able to Abandon Traditional Media Just Yet
Despite the various ways in which Trump’s media strategy has changed, certain traditional principles remain relevant.
TroibNews 
For years, Donald Trump has used television and tabloids to construct his personal brand. He also employed Twitter to boost his presidential campaign and, during his first term in office, to keep the nation engaged. However, he secured a second term by directly reaching out to podcasts and online influencers—meaning he has largely sidelined the press during his transition.
Last week’s events highlighted how, despite the evolution of Trump's media strategy, certain traditional media dynamics still hold true.
Amid growing concerns in Washington over a potential government shutdown, the president-elect reached out to four journalists from major news networks. Speaking to representatives from NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News—on the record—during a single morning would have been typical of Trump’s intense media focus during his first term.
The Thursday discussions revealed that while Trump appears more inclined to retaliate against independent press members in his second term, he continues to rely on mainstream media, especially during challenging moments.
“He wants to impose his will, and the election has led some in the media to recognize that their being so anti-Trump is hurting them more than it is him,” said a source close to the president-elect, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “But there are going to be times where he decides he needs to get a message out and that the traditional press offer a good way to do that.”
The series of TV interviews was somewhat out of character for this transition, during which the president-elect has mostly enjoyed a quiet stay at his Palm Beach club, avoiding the rotating lineup of reporters eager to cover him. This sudden initiative stemmed from Trump’s desire to assert that he—not Elon Musk—was the one who disrupted a spending agreement.
Eight years ago, Trump showcased his Cabinet candidates to a group of reporters outside his home. This time around, his staff has yet to approve an official transition press pool, leaving journalists participating in an unofficial version organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association with little to report after arriving in West Palm Beach.
The organization is proceeding cautiously, engaging in quiet negotiations with Trump’s team while refraining from public criticism, according to several individuals familiar with the talks. This approach marks a shift from 2016 when then-WHCA president Jeff Mason of Reuters criticized the president-elect for abandoning the protective pool and dining with Mitt Romney, who was being considered for Secretary of State.
“It is unacceptable for the next president of the United States to travel without a regular pool to record his movements and inform the public about his whereabouts,” Mason stated at that time.
In 2016, Trump mostly adhered to the agreements negotiated between the WHCA and his communications team. However, since winning the presidency again, Trump and a core group of loyalists have not given the press corps any leeway. In addition to refusing to follow standard protocol and allowing a small pool of reporters to accompany him, some of Trump’s aides have suggested revising the briefing room seating arrangements to favor journalists more sympathetic to Trump, according to two individuals familiar with internal discussions.
“There are a lot of ‘normies’ on the press team who will deal with us, but there are also a few folks who see everything as a fight,” stated a veteran Trump reporter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share insights about their interactions during the transition. “And you don’t always know which side is in charge.”
Unlike eight years ago, there are few indications that mainstream media outlets are preparing for conflict, lacking a clear audience that is eager for confrontation.
“It feels like the people who were up in arms about Trump eight years ago are just worn out,” remarked a veteran White House reporter on the condition of anonymity, characterizing the fatigue within their newsroom. “Stories that have new, vivid details that we can work all day long to get aren’t landing like they used to. Everyone is used to the Trump chaos after almost a decade of this, and a lot of people seem to be deciding they’re just not going to let the news dominate their day-to-day lives.”
If anything, many influential figures in the media industry appear to be heading in the opposite direction—eagerly demonstrating a willingness to work with the incoming president. Several have even apologized for past grievances by echoing Trump’s sentiments or, in ABC’s case, settling ongoing legal disputes.
Recently, the network agreed to pay Trump $15 million to settle a lawsuit claiming anchor George Stephanopoulos defamed him by stating he had been found guilty of rape.
Two notable Trump critics, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of Morning Joe, met with the president-elect in Florida shortly after the election, hoping to facilitate a reset.
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the publisher of the Los Angeles Times, canceled a planned October endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris by the editorial board, much of which has now resigned. He has since made a public commitment to add Scott Jennings, a well-known Trump supporter, to a board he claims will be more “fair and balanced,” while also proposing a “bias meter” for political stories.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post and refrained from endorsing any candidate in the presidential race, donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund and dined with him and Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago last week.
“EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!” Trump exclaimed on social media after the meeting.
Given their other business interests, Soon-Shiong and Bezos are not the first billionaire entrepreneurs attempting to gain favor with a president-elect. However, their outreach has resulted in a backlash from readers, with both the Times and Post experiencing subscription cancellations from those displeased by their actions on Trump’s behalf. Nevertheless, both men have signaled a desire to regain the trust of conservative voters disillusioned with traditional media.
Jay Rosen, a journalism professor at New York University, explains that many of these actions stem from a common source: fear.
“I'm not inside newsrooms, but I can feel it,” Rosen observed. “From getting kicked out of the White House entirely, to fears of violence against journalists as a hate object. From having the tools of government turned against you, to getting sued for doing what used to be your job. There's all the ways big media companies can be harassed by the state, and the effect these have on newsrooms as the bosses try to play it safe.”
During Trump’s first term, several journalists faced repercussions, including CNN’s Jim Acosta and Brian Karem from Playboy, both of whom had their press passes revoked after contentious exchanges with the president. Some correspondents fear even more retaliation in a second term, including more lawsuits, which could financially strain cash-strapped news organizations.
Earlier this month, Trump launched a lawsuit against The Des Moines Register over a poll conducted by Ann Selzer during the final weekend of the election that indicated he was trailing Harris by three points in Iowa.
At a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump cited a lack of options regarding the lawsuit. “We have to straighten out the press,” he declared.
These remarks were, of course, directed to a gathering of reporters and photographers who had the opportunity to pose questions on multiple subjects. This situation highlights the irony of a media-obsessed politician who has built a career on publicly criticizing the press while simultaneously cultivating relationships with them behind the scenes—making calls and inviting journalists into the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One for extended off-the-record discussions.
This paradox remains in play.
“He believes he is owed positive coverage and has endured so much coverage that has been critical,” noted an individual in Trump’s circle. “So he will do what he has to do to bend coverage his way. But he still cares about it a lot.”
Like this content? Consider signing up for PMG’s West Wing Playbook newsletter.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
Last week’s events highlighted how, despite the evolution of Trump's media strategy, certain traditional media dynamics still hold true.
Amid growing concerns in Washington over a potential government shutdown, the president-elect reached out to four journalists from major news networks. Speaking to representatives from NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News—on the record—during a single morning would have been typical of Trump’s intense media focus during his first term.
The Thursday discussions revealed that while Trump appears more inclined to retaliate against independent press members in his second term, he continues to rely on mainstream media, especially during challenging moments.
“He wants to impose his will, and the election has led some in the media to recognize that their being so anti-Trump is hurting them more than it is him,” said a source close to the president-elect, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “But there are going to be times where he decides he needs to get a message out and that the traditional press offer a good way to do that.”
The series of TV interviews was somewhat out of character for this transition, during which the president-elect has mostly enjoyed a quiet stay at his Palm Beach club, avoiding the rotating lineup of reporters eager to cover him. This sudden initiative stemmed from Trump’s desire to assert that he—not Elon Musk—was the one who disrupted a spending agreement.
Eight years ago, Trump showcased his Cabinet candidates to a group of reporters outside his home. This time around, his staff has yet to approve an official transition press pool, leaving journalists participating in an unofficial version organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association with little to report after arriving in West Palm Beach.
The organization is proceeding cautiously, engaging in quiet negotiations with Trump’s team while refraining from public criticism, according to several individuals familiar with the talks. This approach marks a shift from 2016 when then-WHCA president Jeff Mason of Reuters criticized the president-elect for abandoning the protective pool and dining with Mitt Romney, who was being considered for Secretary of State.
“It is unacceptable for the next president of the United States to travel without a regular pool to record his movements and inform the public about his whereabouts,” Mason stated at that time.
In 2016, Trump mostly adhered to the agreements negotiated between the WHCA and his communications team. However, since winning the presidency again, Trump and a core group of loyalists have not given the press corps any leeway. In addition to refusing to follow standard protocol and allowing a small pool of reporters to accompany him, some of Trump’s aides have suggested revising the briefing room seating arrangements to favor journalists more sympathetic to Trump, according to two individuals familiar with internal discussions.
“There are a lot of ‘normies’ on the press team who will deal with us, but there are also a few folks who see everything as a fight,” stated a veteran Trump reporter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share insights about their interactions during the transition. “And you don’t always know which side is in charge.”
Unlike eight years ago, there are few indications that mainstream media outlets are preparing for conflict, lacking a clear audience that is eager for confrontation.
“It feels like the people who were up in arms about Trump eight years ago are just worn out,” remarked a veteran White House reporter on the condition of anonymity, characterizing the fatigue within their newsroom. “Stories that have new, vivid details that we can work all day long to get aren’t landing like they used to. Everyone is used to the Trump chaos after almost a decade of this, and a lot of people seem to be deciding they’re just not going to let the news dominate their day-to-day lives.”
If anything, many influential figures in the media industry appear to be heading in the opposite direction—eagerly demonstrating a willingness to work with the incoming president. Several have even apologized for past grievances by echoing Trump’s sentiments or, in ABC’s case, settling ongoing legal disputes.
Recently, the network agreed to pay Trump $15 million to settle a lawsuit claiming anchor George Stephanopoulos defamed him by stating he had been found guilty of rape.
Two notable Trump critics, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of Morning Joe, met with the president-elect in Florida shortly after the election, hoping to facilitate a reset.
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the publisher of the Los Angeles Times, canceled a planned October endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris by the editorial board, much of which has now resigned. He has since made a public commitment to add Scott Jennings, a well-known Trump supporter, to a board he claims will be more “fair and balanced,” while also proposing a “bias meter” for political stories.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post and refrained from endorsing any candidate in the presidential race, donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund and dined with him and Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago last week.
“EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!” Trump exclaimed on social media after the meeting.
Given their other business interests, Soon-Shiong and Bezos are not the first billionaire entrepreneurs attempting to gain favor with a president-elect. However, their outreach has resulted in a backlash from readers, with both the Times and Post experiencing subscription cancellations from those displeased by their actions on Trump’s behalf. Nevertheless, both men have signaled a desire to regain the trust of conservative voters disillusioned with traditional media.
Jay Rosen, a journalism professor at New York University, explains that many of these actions stem from a common source: fear.
“I'm not inside newsrooms, but I can feel it,” Rosen observed. “From getting kicked out of the White House entirely, to fears of violence against journalists as a hate object. From having the tools of government turned against you, to getting sued for doing what used to be your job. There's all the ways big media companies can be harassed by the state, and the effect these have on newsrooms as the bosses try to play it safe.”
During Trump’s first term, several journalists faced repercussions, including CNN’s Jim Acosta and Brian Karem from Playboy, both of whom had their press passes revoked after contentious exchanges with the president. Some correspondents fear even more retaliation in a second term, including more lawsuits, which could financially strain cash-strapped news organizations.
Earlier this month, Trump launched a lawsuit against The Des Moines Register over a poll conducted by Ann Selzer during the final weekend of the election that indicated he was trailing Harris by three points in Iowa.
At a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump cited a lack of options regarding the lawsuit. “We have to straighten out the press,” he declared.
These remarks were, of course, directed to a gathering of reporters and photographers who had the opportunity to pose questions on multiple subjects. This situation highlights the irony of a media-obsessed politician who has built a career on publicly criticizing the press while simultaneously cultivating relationships with them behind the scenes—making calls and inviting journalists into the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One for extended off-the-record discussions.
This paradox remains in play.
“He believes he is owed positive coverage and has endured so much coverage that has been critical,” noted an individual in Trump’s circle. “So he will do what he has to do to bend coverage his way. But he still cares about it a lot.”
Like this content? Consider signing up for PMG’s West Wing Playbook newsletter.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
