One could not help but notice the blatant bias and frustration seeping through ABC News’ report on the trial over Trump’s classified documents. From their choice of words to the information they chose to highlight, it was clear that the journalists at ABC were not pleased with the pace of the trial, and that they were echoing the talking points of the Biden administration.
In their report, ABC correspondent David Muir expressed discontent with the way things were progressing in the Trump documents trial. He began by stating that the network was “vexed and frustrated” with the pace of the trial and went on to voice their frustrations, parroting the same sentiments as the Biden administration.
What followed was a regurgitation of White House talking points, with the news anchor citing Special Counsel Jack Smith as being “increasingly frustrated” with the Florida judge’s handling of the case. ABC News seemed to be on a mission to paint a picture of chaos and dysfunction in the courtroom, and they used Smith’s supposed frustration as evidence.
The biased language used in the report was evident in the way they characterized the judge’s decision as “fundamentally flawed”. This phrase itself implies that the judge is incompetent and incapable of making a fair ruling, and readers are left to take their word for it. ABC also saw fit to mention, without context, that Judge Aileen Cannon was appointed by Trump. This seemed to be a deliberate attempt to discredit her and her rulings.
The focus of the report seemed to be solely on the thoughts and feelings of Special Counsel Jack Smith. ABC News wanted to ensure that their audience knew that Smith was frustrated, critical, and urging the judge to rule in his favor. There was no attempt to provide a balanced perspective, and no legal expert was brought in to discuss the merits of Smith’s objections.
And then, in a classic move, ABC News turned to speculation and innuendo. Pierre Thomas stated that “critics of the judge wonder if she’s delaying on purpose to help Donald Trump.” This statement is full of loaded language, insinuating that the judge is corrupt and working in favor of Trump. Once again, ABC is making an assertion without any evidence to back it up, simply framing it as something that “critics say.”
We know, ABC News has an agenda when it comes to covering the Trump documents trial. Not only did they echo the talking points of the Biden administration, but they also injected their own biased language and speculation into the report. This kind of journalism only serves to further divide and polarize the country, and it is a disservice to their audience. If this is the kind of reporting that the liberal media stands for, it is no wonder that trust in the mainstream media continues to decline. The American people deserve unbiased and fact-based reporting, not propaganda and personal opinions disguised as news.