The Trump White House has launched a new website purporting to track media bias, a move widely criticised as a desperate political gimmick rather than a genuine exercise in accountability.
A Pattern of Escalating Hostility
This initiative follows a period of intensifying attacks by Donald Trump on the mainstream press. Last month, he threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn over a documentary that aired more than a year ago. His verbal assaults have become increasingly personal, insulting reporters with names like "piggy" and telling ABC News's Mary Bruce she was a "terrible person and a terrible reporter".
The new site features a "Hall of Shame" and names "media offenders of the week", targeting outlets like the Boston Globe and CBS News with accusations of "left wing lunacy". Its initial focus is on coverage of Trump's call for six Democratic congress members to be arrested over a video reminding military personnel they can refuse illegal orders.
Exposing the Presidential Bubble, Not the Press
While the site claims to "expose" journalists, commentators argue it reveals something far more significant: the president's increasing isolation and inability to tolerate any criticism. As reported in The Atlantic, Trump's world has shrunk; his social media is largely confined to his Truth Social platform, his travel limited, and his interactions chiefly with wealthy donors and sycophantic media.
"President Trump has never before been in such an echo chamber," observed journalist Jonathan Lemire. Within that bubble, harsh reality from the media is seen as a "rude intrusion", and the bias tracker is an attempt to discredit that discomfort.
Falling Polls and a Convenient Scapegoat
The timing of this attack is notable. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump's approval rating at 38%, the lowest since his return to office and down two points since early November. With midterm elections less than a year away, finding someone to blame is a political imperative.
"People understand the obvious conflict inherent in a presidential administration appointing itself the arbiter of media bias," said Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. Critics note that while calling out genuine media failings is valid, this site serves a different purpose: deflecting from Trump's own troubles.
Ultimately, the tracker is unlikely to persuade anyone beyond his core Maga base. For most Americans, it underscores a presidency increasingly detached from reality, where trashing the media is a substitute for addressing sliding popularity and a weakening grip on his own party.
