Media twists Trump’s words about Liz Cheney, analyst says
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Veteran political analyst Mark Halperin sharply criticized major media outlets on Friday for what he described as “ridiculously slanted” coverage of former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about Liz Cheney.
During an appearance on Newsmax, Halperin argued that Trump’s remarks had been taken out of context and sensationalized, rather than reported accurately to inform the public. The controversy stemmed from Trump’s suggestion that Cheney lacked personal experience with combat realities.
CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times were among the outlets that came under fire from Halperin. He noted that CNN had portrayed Trump’s words as an escalation of violent rhetoric against opponents, while the Post reported that Trump had suggested guns should be “trained on her face.”
Halperin contended that Trump’s actual point was about military intervention policy. “You can criticize Donald Trump for things he said about Liz Cheney, but to accuse him of what he’s being accused of when he was making the point that if Liz Cheney had to go to war herself, he doesn’t think she would be as enthusiastic about sending American forces abroad,” Halperin explained.
The analyst acknowledged that while cable opinion shows might engage in some sensationalism, respected newspapers like The Washington Post and The New York Times have a greater “journalistic responsibility” to maintain accuracy and fairness.
According to The Associated Press, Trump’s controversial remarks occurred during a Thursday event in Arizona with Tucker Carlson. Responding to questions about Cheney’s continued opposition and her recent campaign efforts alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump referred to Cheney as “a person with extreme views” and “a radical war hawk.”
“She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face,” Trump said, AP reported.
Cheney later responded on social media, warning that dictators often target opponents and cautioning against entrusting America’s freedoms to someone she described as petty, vindictive, cruel, and unstable.
Halperin’s critique highlights the ongoing debate over media objectivity and the challenges of accurately reporting on controversial political figures and their statements.
