Will a reporter ever tell Trump to f– off?

Here’s why journalists respond so passively to presidential abuse

Donald Trump has publicly insulted more than half a dozen female reporters in recent weeks. The trigger? They raised important issues and asked tough questions.

Many of us are annoyed that Trump faces so little pushback. Targeted reporters brush off the abuse, their colleagues generally remain silent, and their bosses often do, too. Here’s what I think drives this passivity:

WHY REPORTERS DON’T FIGHT BACK

Journalists like to remain above the fray. There’s an old saying, “Never wrestle with a pig because you both get dirty and the pig likes it.” Some journalists believe responding aggressively to abusive politicians is a losing game.

Principled journalists value their reputation for fairness and try to remain dispassionate, even about politicians who give them a hard time. If they set themselves up as adversaries of politicians, they risk eroding their credibility.

Besides, journalists are accustomed to abuse. When I was metro editor of the Chicago Tribune, I told colleagues that if we didn’t make anyone mad, we should worry that we weren’t having an impact. There’s no point in journalists wishing for delicate treatment. They need to develop a thick skin. That said, as a matter of basic human decency, there’s no excuse for abusing people for doing their jobs.

Another reason for reporters’ refusal to counterattack is that they’d probably get in trouble with their bosses if they did. They might get fired or re-assigned.

WHY COLLEAGUES DON’T SPEAK UP

When Trump singles out reporters as “piggy,” “ugly,” and “stupid,” their colleagues’ silence resembles the “keep your head down” posture in a grade-school playground when the bully is on a reign of terror.

Part of the problem is the Washington media’s competitiveness, which works against formation of a united front. In local journalism, we’ve seen a trend in which news organizations are less dog-eat-dog competitive and more interested in collaborating with each other. Facing diminished resources, they realize that working together may be the only way to be successful.

Among national political reporters, however, there is a battle for attention and credit that makes solidarity less attractive. Washington is where journalists become celebrities. When Trump dodges one reporter’s question, the next reporter rarely picks up that question and presses it. They’d rather ask their own question. There’s no glory in repeating someone else’s.

Also, a reporter defending a colleague would face the same repercussions back in the newsroom if they lipped off to Trump. They might get fired or reassigned.

WHY BOSSES DON’T HAVE REPORTERS’ BACKS

I posted on Bluesky last week that female reporters who are verbally harassed by Trump should file Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints against their employers. After all, it’s their bosses’ duty to protect them from abuse on the job.

That’s unlikely to happen, of course. But media companies have more power than individual reporters, and they need to use it. At the very least, they should issue public statements in defense of their journalists. They also should pressure the White House to knock it off, but there’s no public indication that they’ve done so.

Instead, major media let their reporters stand there and take it. Maybe the news organizations fear losing credibility if they’re seen as part of the resistance to Trump. But I think the main reason for their silence is far more cowardly: They want the White House’s favors, such as exclusives, and they don’t want the regime’s vengeance. This worry is especially real for TV networks. Trump’s anti-free-speech chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, has the power to sabotage the licensing of the networks’ local affiliates.

Shortly after last year’s election, ABC News agreed to a $15 million settlement in a lawsuit by Trump even though the network seemed to have a strong defense. The settlement looked like a shakedown and a payoff. NPR’s David Folkenflik noted that ABC’s parent, Disney, would “have a lot of things that are under review from officials in the Trump administration in the years ahead.”

But along with the “sticks,” Trump has “carrots.” Four months after the settlement, ABC got an exclusive presidential interview.

ABC’s talented Rachel Scott was recently insulted by Trump, who called her “the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place.” I have found no sign that ABC has said a public word in Scott’s defense. Maybe they think silence is good for business.

WILL ANYONE EVER FIGHT BACK?

What if a member of the public – not me, but someone – created a GoFundMe account that would pay big bucks to the first reporter to tell Trump to his face that he should f– off? The impudent reporter would get fired, but would gain the onetime payment, an emotional release, and instant fame.

This idea is a flight of fancy, I know. I’m not advocating for it. For one thing, I don’t want journalism that’s dictated by crowdfunding. For another thing, I’d rather see White House correspondents avoid personal attacks and instead pound Trump on the issues. When he insults reporters, he’s trying to avoid answering questions. So ask the questions over and over and over. If he says he doesn’t know, ask him why he doesn’t know. When he lies, interrupt him to say he’s lying. And say it that way: “That’s a lie. You’re lying.”

Show Trump the respect he deserves. Which is none.

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