The Left is preparing another war against Trump. The mainstream media is in attack mode.
But Donald Trump just said five words on MSNBC that made the entire network fall silent.
The first Donald Trump term in the White House was characterized by mainstream media “journalists” and hosts spending live cable news time to attack Donald Trump at every single possible opportunity. Any move he made as President was twisted and criticized by the media talking heads. CNN and MSNBC, in particular, were ruthless with their unbalanced coverage that was designed to smear President Trump.
Unfortunately, this second term is going to be no different. Already, the Big Media outlets are spinning their anti-Trump propaganda machines back up again since he will be taking office in just over a month. Consider how MSNBC has treated Donald Trump when he willingly appeared for a sit-down interview with the network.
Legacy media outlets, such as MSNBC, have long been criticized for their biased coverage, particularly when it comes to conservative figures and politicians. A prime example of this bias came during Kristen Welker’s interview with President-elect Donald Trump on Meet the Press.
Trump Sends Out Warning To His Haters: ‘Retribution Will Be Through Success’
In a tone more befitting a prosecutor than a journalist, Welker repeatedly pressed Trump about whether he intended to use his forthcoming power to target political opponents. She asked him more than a dozen times about potential investigations into his critics, framing her questions around a list of “deep state” figures purportedly identified by Kash Patel in his book. This relentless questioning, while seemingly an effort to hold Trump accountable, highlights the media’s tendency to pursue narratives that align with their own political agendas rather than providing objective reporting.
Welker introduced the topic by mentioning Patel’s book, where he allegedly listed 60 people, including prominent Democrats like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, as part of the “deep state.” This is where the framing of the interview took a distinct turn. Instead of simply discussing potential investigations in a neutral manner, Welker’s line of questioning implied that Trump had a personal vendetta against his political opponents, asking him directly if he would use his power to target them.
Trump, however, rejected this narrative. He clearly stated, “No. I mean, he’s going to do what he thinks is right,” when asked if he would direct Patel to launch investigations. Despite his clear denial, Welker continued to press the issue. She repeatedly asked if Trump would “direct” Patel to go after his political adversaries, to which Trump responded with a firm no, emphasizing that he had no intentions of using the power of the presidency for retribution.
At one point, Trump responded with a bit of levity, noting the credentials and popularity of both Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, his appointees. Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, was characterized as a “rocket ship” in her field, and Patel, he stated, was someone with strong conservative credentials but a reputation that was widely praised.
Despite this positive framing, Welker still pressed him about whether these individuals would be involved in any investigations, including questioning whether Patel would go after people like Joe Biden. Trump’s answer was consistent and simple: he would focus on the success of the country, not on political retribution. “Retribution will be through success,” he said.
The interview continued to center around the theme of targeting political enemies, with Welker specifically asking Trump if he would instruct his appointees to investigate individuals such as Jack Smith, the special counsel overseeing investigations into Trump. Trump was unequivocal, stating, “I want her to do whatever she has to do,” but again denying any intention of directing investigations for purely political reasons.
The questioning reached a crescendo when Welker asked if former Rep. Liz Cheney, a vocal critic of Trump who served on the committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, should be jailed. Trump’s response was direct: “Not at all.” He further emphasized his priorities, focusing on energy policies with his remark, “I’m going to focus on drill, baby, drill.”
Throughout the exchange, Welker’s insistence on framing Trump’s actions as part of a potential “witch hunt” against political enemies revealed a more troubling trend within legacy media outlets: a tendency to promote narratives designed to cast conservatives in a negative light, often disregarding the subject’s denials or clarifications. Instead of presenting an interview that allowed Trump to clarify his positions, Welker’s repeated questioning only reinforced the pre-existing narrative of Trump as a vengeful leader, even when he categorically rejected such a notion.
This type of biased, one-sided questioning is not unique to this interview. It’s sadly a pattern of behavior in which legacy media outlets continually attempt to portray conservative figures as authoritarian or corrupt, even in the face of repeated denials. While it’s essential for the press to hold politicians accountable, this interview serves as a reminder of how mainstream outlets like MSNBC often use their platforms not for inquiry, but for ideological warfare. Instead of offering a neutral space for politicians to explain their positions, outlets like *Meet the Press* risk turning into an echo chamber for political bias.
The Conservative Column will keep you updated on any major reports and updates about the incoming Trump administration.
