The media puts up with President Trump’s consistent abuse because they’ll “tank” without him.
That’s the President’s theory, at least.
In a sweeping new interview with The New York Times Thursday, Trump claimed that the media, whom he persistently berates, are his number one fans because he helps boost their ratings. He said media giants like the Times “have to let me win.”
“Without me, The New York Times will indeed be not the failing New York Times, but the failed New York Times,” he told the Times’ Michael Schmidt. “So they basically have to let me win. And eventually, probably six months before the election, they’ll be loving me because they’re saying, ‘Please, please, don’t lose Donald Trump.’ O.K.”
Trump’s relationship with the media has been rocky, and often outright hostile, ever since he started campaigning for the presidency. He claims he coined the term “fake news” and frequently lashes out at specific outlets and journalists on Twitter if he doesn’t like their coverage.
The President has been criticized for inciting violence against journalists.
