Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday that the mainstream media’s coverage of President Donald Trump reflects a decline in the industry’s control over public narrative. Appearing on ‘The Riley Gaines Show,’ Sanders, a former White House press secretary, said Trump’s ability to bypass traditional media has contributed to this shift.
“That’s one of the things they hated the most — that he didn’t need them,” Sanders said. “He was able to talk directly to the American people without having to use the media in the way that everyone before him had to.”
Trump has long used social media to communicate with supporters, including creating his own platform, Truth Social, after being banned from Twitter prior to Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform. Sanders emphasized that Trump’s approach allows him to circumvent conventional outlets and control his messaging.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump has also engaged with alternative media sources such as podcasts, including ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ and ‘This Past Weekend with Theo Von,’ to reach younger voters. Sanders said this demonstrates Trump’s success in spreading his messages outside traditional channels.
The White House has responded to changing media habits by adding a new media seat to its briefing room, rotating among content creators not affiliated with legacy outlets. Despite this, Trump maintains a contentious relationship with many mainstream outlets. Last week, he criticized The New York Times and CNN for their coverage of the Iran conflict, questioning their reporting and military assessments.
“You read The New York Times or watch CNN, and you’d think they’re winning the war,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s a terrible thing.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
