Donald Trump announced Monday that he’s revoking the press credentials of The Washington Post to cover his campaign. Now, presumably, Post reporters – typically some of the most experienced – will not have access to the candidate or to campaign officials.
Interesting strategy, there. Banish one of the nation’s most credible and influential newspapers, one brought to national attention by the biggest story of all time, the Watergate scandal.
Trump’s hissy fit has to do with what he calls “incredibly inaccurate coverage” and a headline that insinuated, Trump says, that he said President Obama was responsible for the Orlando mass shootings. In fact, some of Trump’s comments included a statement that the president “either is not tough, not smart, or he’s got something else in mind. And the something else in mind – you know, people can’t believe it.” Just what was Trump saying about the president of the United States?
Trump’s latest maneuver against The Post is another tantrum from someone who believes the entire country is just another hotel casino in the Trump empire, or a division of Trump University, whatever it is, worlds where Trump can say whatever outrageous things he likes without consequences. Even in a wild campaign by a candidate who has bullied, exaggerated and shouted his way to the nomination, moving to muffle the free press is disturbing.