No, criticising the media is not ‘Trumpian’
Criticising the media is “Trumpian”: or so a self-serving logical fallacy promoted by certain British media types would have it. The argument goes like this: Trump criticises the media, so does the left, ergo the left is Trumpian.
Trumpians think that the criminal justice system is too lenient; the left thinks it is too punitive and racist. Does that mean the left’s criticism of the criminal justice system is “Trumpian”? Obviously not. The criticisms are completely different in content. The same applies here.
The left’s criticism of the media is, in part, this. Most of the national press is owned by wealthy oligarchs, and therefore unsurprisingly defends the political and economic interests of the rich. It whips up hatred against Muslims, refugees, migrants, trans people, and other minorities, as well as often being deeply misogynistic. In a sense you can argue that the left’s critique of the media is that it is Trumpian.
It is because of the above that the left is so marginalised in the British media, unlike Trump who enjoys active and passionate support from a significant chunk of the US broadcast media.
The media is one of the most powerful institutions in the country. It defines the terms of political debate. Yet some senior journalists act as though the media is the one institution which should be exempt from criticism, and behave with huge personal affront at even the mildest critique. If we’re going to play this game: having huge power while being thin skinned and unable to take criticism. You could call that, well, Trumpian.
