In mid-June, Donald Trump, the disfavored ex-president, turned 79—going on 80. Today, he has been unwittingly thrust into the middle of an ongoing debate over how the media should cover his health. During his acceptance speech, Trump disappeared for a few days, leading to rumors and alarm. This opacity sparked suspicion, especially given his previous long-term health complications and a November assassination attempt. Major news organizations have mostly overlooked what his absence might mean. They have repeatedly ignored the conditions of his health in light of these alarming conditions.
During this time that Trump was away from the public scene, speculation and rumors flew wildly across social media. Some even speculated that he had actually passed or had a major aneurism the labor day weekend. Meanwhile, the Drudge Report highlighted the situation with a headline stating: “PRESIDENT HEALTH CRISIS DEEPENS,” but mainstream media coverage remained minimal. This inconsistency has sparked criticism regarding the lack of attention to Trump’s health issues compared to the extensive coverage of President Joe Biden’s age and health.
Signs of potential health problems have gone beyond the swollen ankles, unsteady gait, bruised hands and occasionally confused speech. These ongoing issues have raised doubts about the former president’s capacity to run a meaningful campaign ahead of the still-year 2024 elections. The optics of that recent debate performance—which many considered the worst debate performance in US political history—shocked and then petrified his supporters and even some critics.
Yet, in light of these urgent health issues, not one medical briefing was conducted after last year’s assassination attempt on Trump. Responsibility through transparency This lack of transparency is in sharp contrast to the close, aggressive scrutiny that has been placed on Biden. His health has been the leading subject of media chatter. Critics argue that while the media has tirelessly covered Biden’s aging process, similar scrutiny has not been applied to Trump’s health.
Bill Grueskin, a professor at Columbia Journalism School, weighed in on the matter, stating, “Evidence-based assessments of a president’s health are absolutely fair game.” This sentiment lays bare a dangerous, extreme conviction that reporters need to have every government official’s health brought into question. This duty is particularly important considering the leaders’ influence in public life.
Furthermore, Trump’s allies have not shied away from addressing what they perceive as media bias regarding coverage of his health. Vance, a high-profile backer of Trump, has claimed on all the big platforms that they’re lying to you about Trump’s condition. He pleaded, “Think about what other things they’re deceiving you on.” This suggests that the gap in coverage may extend far beyond health-related matters.
Amplifying this criticism, Trump himself chastised the media for its reporting on his health issues. As I said, it’s fake news – it’s all fake news. That’s why the media is so incredibly low in terms of credibility. His comments show a sad desperation of how media companies depict him versus other political leaders.
As conversations about Trump’s health go back and forth, a lot of people are rightly calling out the double standards and prejudices that are seen in the media here. Critics have quickly called out the blame shifting over the alleged failures to cover the early signs of Biden’s collapse. They argue that similar skepticism hasn’t been systematically applied to Trump. This lack of transparency and accountability among our public servants would be concerning regardless, but when you consider … Continue reading →