One of President Donald Trump’s common refrains during the 2016 election that continues to this day is “Fake News.” His labeling of collective media outlets and those they employ has presented journalists with a choice: to stick to decades-old White House press briefing decorum or play by a new set of rules.
Clicks are the top priority in an oversaturated media landscape and viral sound bites chiding the president are rewarded with earned media, so we’ve watched many journalists respond to this reality. They decry the president’s form while simultaneously playing his game to reap professional benefits and accolades.
Enter the new normal at the White House press briefing.
President Trump gives an opening statement, which includes information on the latest issue, praise for those working on that issue and self-adulation for the work he’s done. Then he turns it over to the press, where ratings and retweets abound – it’s good TV.
While no-nonsense questions come from the first few raised hands, the president eventually calls on journalists who want a piece of his spotlight. Instead of data-driven questions that require information-filled answers, there’s often a shift in focus to make the question about the person asking it. These types of “questions” fall into three categories: