The Washington press corps is throwing a big party to honor their own work covering President Biden’s administration over the past four years. Reporters say they did an amazing job telling the public what was happening, even though Biden rarely showed up to answer questions himself. Critics argue the media spent years ignoring obvious problems while patting themselves on the back for stories that often came late.
The president held just 37 formal news conferences over four years, fewer than half of Trump’s 88 during his first term. Reporters complained about getting blocked from asking tough questions, with Biden’s team shielding him from unscripted moments. One journalist admitted the White House did a “really good job of hiding him” on bad days.
For years, news outlets dismissed worries about Biden’s fitness, even as staffers tightly controlled his schedule. The administration treated questions about his stamina as a “third rail,” punishing reporters who raised them. This changed only after Biden’s disastrous debate collapse forced the issue into headlines.
Biden’s team prioritized daily talking points over open dialogue, earning praise early on for disciplined briefings. But critics say this came at the cost of real accountability. Journalists rarely challenged false claims, like Biden’s misleading explanations about the Afghanistan withdrawal chaos.
The press secretary frequently scrambled to clean up Biden’s gaffes, like when he called Trump supporters “garbage” weeks before the election. Reporters gave gentle coverage to these stumbles, focusing more on damage control than demanding answers.
The incoming administration has already opened press access, holding daily briefings and welcoming independent journalists. President Trump’s team promised to reverse Biden’s secretive tactics, restoring credentials for hundreds of reporters banned under the old regime.
While praising their own award-winning work, major outlets glossed over past failures. Few acknowledged how they amplified Russia’s 2016 election interference or gave Trump billions in free campaign coverage. The media’s refusal to reckon with these missteps casts doubt on their victory lap.
In Biden’s final months, reporters focused on rushed policy moves like fast-tracking student debt relief and judicial confirmations. Little attention went to whether these eleventh-hour actions served the public or just boosted Democratic priorities before Trump’s return.
The contrast between administrations could not be clearer. Where Biden’s team built walls, Trump’s is tearing them down—a shift that leaves journalists celebrating their “achievements” while ordinary Americans wonder why vital stories took years to surface.
