Laura Ingraham argues the media obsessively pursues “gotcha” moments against Trump because they’re invested in narratives portraying him as incompetent or dangerous, rather than objectively reporting his policies’ outcomes. She highlights how outlets like CNN and NBC prematurely declared Trump’s trade war with China a failure, only to backtrack when jobs gains surged and Beijing sought negotiations. Ingraham suggests this fixation stems from ideological opposition to Trump’s America-first agenda, which disrupts establishment preferences for globalization.
## Media Motivation for “Aha Moments”
Outlets prioritize capturing Trump slips or policy stumbles to validate preexisting critiques, such as claims his tariffs would crash markets. These attempts often backfire when economic data contradicts dire predictions.
By focusing on theatrical exchanges, media sidestep discussing Trump’s policy successes, like rebuilding domestic manufacturing or forcing concessions from China. Ingraham notes this allows networks to avoid reconciling their elitist worldview with his populist appeal.
## Trump’s Counterstrategy
Ingraham emphasizes Trump’s skill in reframing attacks as strengths, such as portraying media hostility as proof he’s disrupting Washington corruption. His McDonald’s visit exemplified this, contrasting Kamala Harris’s manufactured “regular person” image with his unscripted public engagements.
Despite constant scrutiny, Trump’s policies frequently achieve stated goals – whether renegotiating deals or accelerating GDP growth – leaving media scrambling to downplay wins. Ingraham contends this cycle exposes outlets as activists, not neutral observers.
