Trump’s vow to return with his first pandemic press briefing in three months means the press faces a stark decision — is it in the nation’s best interest to provide nonstop, unedited coverage of his briefings knowing that Trump will lie and mislead the public about a national health emergency? Or is it time to pull the plug on the Trump freak show?
For generations, the Beltway press has operated under the simple premise that relaying information from the President of the United States, particularly in a time of crisis, is vital to the fourth estate’s role in a functioning democracy. But that premise only works if presidents are trying to solve the crisis, not muddy it, like when Trump claimed the U.S. would soon have “zero” coronavirus infections.
