Why Has the Media Stopped Fighting Trump’s Lies?

Summary

Bulwark Takes: Detailed Summary of "Why Has the Media Stopped Fighting Trump’s Lies?"

Release Date: August 6, 2025

In this episode of Bulwark Takes, host Will Saletan delves into the persistent issue of former President Donald Trump's unfounded claims about a rigged 2020 election and the broader implications for American politics and media. The discussion meticulously examines how Trump's repetitive lies have been emboldened by both Republican supporters and a media landscape that has seemingly grown weary of challenging these falsehoods.

1. The Genesis of Trump's Election Rigging Claims

Will Saletan begins by contextualizing Trump's accusations regarding the 2020 election:

[00:26] "Donald Trump has launched an all-out assault on our country's job numbers, our employment numbers. He says they're rigged and he fired the Commissioner of Labor Statistics."

Saletan traces the origin of this narrative back to the 2020 election, where Trump persistently alleged fraud and deceit without substantive evidence.

2. Republican Alignment and Voter Behavior

The discussion highlights how Republican politicians and a segment of the electorate accommodated Trump's delusions:

[02:15] "Republican politicians and a lot of voters understood that Trump was delusional about the 2020 election. They thought that he could still function rationally as president despite his false claims."

Saletan references the AP VoteCast survey, revealing that:

[02:45] "65% of voters said Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election. More than a quarter of those voters still chose Trump in 2024, effectively boosting his influence despite recognizing his dishonesty."

This behavior underscores a significant faction of the electorate willing to overlook Trump's falsehoods in anticipation of future gains.

3. Trump's Reinforcement of His Lies Post-2024 Re-election

Following his re-election, Trump intensified his claims about the election being rigged:

[03:30] "Since Trump returned to the White House, he has repeated his allegation about the rigged election more than 90 times. That is three times a week."

Saletan emphasizes the escalation of these unfounded assertions and their pervasive presence in Trump's rhetoric.

4. Support from Republican Elites and Influential Figures

The episode presents evidence of high-profile Republican figures endorsing Trump's narrative:

• At the February CPAC event:

  [04:24] "He said that election of 2020 was rigged. And he's more of a believer today than he was even four years ago."

• During a May speech in Iowa:

  [05:03] "They cheated and rigged the election. They rigged."

• At the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in April:

  [05:27] "We had a rigged election. We can say it loud and say it proud because the election was rigged."

• At a Kennedy Center board meeting:

  [05:53] "It was a rigged election."

Prominent Republicans like Kristi Noem and Ron DeSantis are seen echoing these claims, demonstrating institutional support within the party.

5. Media's Waning Resistance to Trump's Lies

Saletan critiques the media's diminished response to Trump's repeated falsehoods:

[09:00] "The press did challenge it. They debunked it over and over and now they're tired and they want to move on. So they don't even flinch anymore when Trump says it."

He provides specific examples:

• Fox News (February): Host Bret Baier smiles without challenging Trump's claims, indicating a lack of pushback.

  [09:27] "He just sat there and smiled. That's Fox."

• ABC's Terry Moran and Meet the Press's Kristen Welker: Both hosts acknowledge Trump's statements but swiftly move on without substantial refutation.

  [10:03] "He just moves on... Let's talk about here and now."

• During a CNBC segment:

  [11:03] "Watch the host Joe Kernan laugh and roll over when Trump does it again."

These instances illustrate a shift in media strategy from active confrontation to passive acceptance or dismissal of Trump's lies.

6. Implications for Current Political Narratives

Saletan connects Trump's persistent falsehoods about the 2020 election to his current unfounded attacks on job numbers:

[07:27] "Trump is going to be a whack job about everything he touches."

He warns that the media's failure to consistently challenge Trump's lies about the election sets a precedent for accepting subsequent false claims without rigorous scrutiny.

7. Conclusion: The Dangers of Unchecked Political Lies

The episode concludes with Saletan cautioning against the normalization of political deceit:

[12:11] "Trump is a whack job and he's going to be a whack job about everything he touches."

He underscores the broader threat to democratic discourse and integrity when influential figures propagate unchallenged falsehoods.

Key Takeaways

• Entrenched Delusions: Trump's belief in a rigged election is so pervasive that it influences his stance on other issues, demonstrating a pattern of irrationality.

• Republican Complicity: Significant support from within the Republican Party and its base enables the perpetuation of these false narratives.

• Media Fatigue: The press's reduced resistance to Trump's lies reflects a troubling shift in journalistic standards, potentially emboldening politicians to spread misinformation unchecked.

• Democratic Risks: The normalization of baseless claims undermines public trust and poses a serious threat to democratic institutions and processes.

This comprehensive analysis by Will Saletan sheds light on the complex interplay between political figures, their supporters, and the media, raising critical questions about accountability and the future of political integrity in the United States.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest. Life comes at you fast, which is why it's important to find some time to relax a little you time. Enter Chumba Casino. With no download required, you can jump on anytime, anywhere for the chance to redeem some serious prizes. So treat yourself with Chumba Casino and play over 100 online casino style games, all for free. Go to Chumbacasino.com to collect your free welcome bonus. Sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Will Saletan]

No purchase necessary VGW Group void We're.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Prohibited by law 21 terms and conditions apply. When you think about businesses that are selling through the roof, Allbirds or Skims. Sure you think about a great product, a cool brand and brilliant marketing. But an often overlooked secret is actually the businesses behind the business making, selling and for the shoppers, buying simple. For millions of businesses, that business is Shopify. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Home of the number one checkout on the planet. And the not so secret secret with shop pay that boosts conversions up to 50%. Meaning way less carts going abandoned and way more sales going. So if you're into growing your business, your commerce platform better be ready to sell wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling on the web, in your store, in their feed and everywhere in between. Businesses that sell more sell on Shopify. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout Skims uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com audioboom all lowercase go to shopify.com audioboom to upgrade your selling today. Shopify.com audioboom hey, it's will Salatan from the Bulwark.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

So as you probably heard by now, Donald Trump has launched an all out assault on our country's job numbers, our employment numbers. He says they're rigged and he fired the Commissioner of Labor Statistics. And the whole Republican Party is falling in line behind this lie. What I want to show you today is how we got here. We got here because Republican politicians and a lot of voters understood that Trump was delusional about the 2020 election. He said it was rigged and stolen and they thought that that delusion could be compartmentalized, meaning it was a one off, it didn't really matter and that he could still function rationally as president. And they were wrong. A man who is delusional about a rigged election is also going to be delusional about everything else being rigged. Let me take you back to last year. Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump insisted that that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen and a Lot of voters decided that this delusion about the stolen election didn't really matter. Let me show you what I mean. This is the AP VoteCast survey of people who actually voted in 2024. It's like an exit poll. 65% of voters said Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election. Which means they knew that when Trump said the election was rigged, he was wrong. But more than a quarter of those voters voted for Trump anyway in 2024. They knew that he was lying or deluded, but they thought that was okay. So those voters, that quarter of the 65%, basically 1/6 of the electorate, made the difference in 2024. They were betting that Trump's crazy talk about the rigged election was just a one off. So those voters put Trump back, back in the White House. And maybe they thought he'd leave his fantasy about the rigged election in the past. He did not. In fact, he took his reelection in 2024 as confirmation that he was right about the rigged election in 2020. And he became even more obsessed. Since Trump returned to the White House, he has repeated his allegation about the rigged election more than 90 times. That is three times a week. And he's not getting shot down when he says it. He's getting support. Check out this video of Trump speaking at cpac, the Conservative Political Action Conference, in February. He's talking here about Mike Lindell, the number one proponent of the rigged election lie. Listen to the applause.

[Will Saletan]

He said that election of 2020 was rigged. And he's more of a believer today than he was even four years ago. But now it's okay to say it, Mike. Now it's fine.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Now it's fine. The voters reelected Trump, so he feels totally vindicated. And here's another speech a month ago in Iowa. Again, listen to the crowd.

[Will Saletan]

And then they cheated and rigged the election. They rigged. You know, they don't even turn off the cameras when I say that now, because now they know it's true. But they knew it was true before.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

There it is again. They know it's true. He feels more confident than ever. And he's not just getting validation from these crowds. He's getting it from Republican elites. Here he is at a dinner in April for the National Republican Congressional Committee. This is not a bunch of yahoos and MAGA hats. These are Republican politicians and big donors.

[Will Saletan]

A thing that never would have happened if the election wasn't rigged. We had a rigged election. And we can say it and say it loud and say it proud because the election was rigged and we can't let that stuff happen anymore.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

That's a big room. So the applause might be a little hard to hear, but here's a smaller room where you can hear it. This is Trump talking in May to the board of the Kennedy Center. Again, these are wealthy, well connected people.

[Will Saletan]

After the election was rigged. The second one was rigged. Whether you like it or not. It was rigged like nobody's ever seen. And now people are seeing it. Now people don't even fight me. You know, they used to say, sir, it's not really that nice to see. I'm an honest. It was rigged. And unfortunately, that's what happened.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Trump is living in a world where all the people around him echo him or support him in his insanity. That includes the Oval Office. Here he is two months ago. Watch Elon Musk nodding along as Trump repeats his story about the rigged election.

[Will Saletan]

There was a lot of dishonesty in the election, as you know, 2020 that's been now caught. It was a rigged election.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

And then watch this scene from a month ago. You're going to see on the right of the screen Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, and Todd Blanch, the Deputy Attorney general, standing there obediently while Trump spouts his lie.

[Will Saletan]

That election was rigged and stolen and we can't allow that to happen.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

And here's one more scene from a few days later. This is Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, and Kristi Noemi, the Secretary of Homeland Security, standing with Trump at an airport in Florida. Watch Kristi Noem on the right of the screen and you'll see her start to nod as Trump talks about the rigged election.

[Will Saletan]

The election in 2020 was rigged. Millions and millions of votes. It had to do with COVID and a lot of things, but it really had to do with the crooked people. The Democrats are very good at cheating on elections. And that's why I said too big to ring. They tried this one too, but after about 9:02 they gave up. Too many bucks, you know.

[Unnamed Sponsor Voice]

Too big to rig Bulwark takes a sponsor by soul. I gotta tell you, my days of drinking my calories are behind me. Having some drinks can be fun, but I'm glad I found an alternative that lets me feel great both in the moment and the next morning. Out of office Gummies from Sol Sol is a wellness brand that believes feeling good should be fun and easy. Sole specializes in delicious hemp derived THC and CBD products. Delicate, designed to boost your mood and help you unwind. Their best selling out of office gummies were designed to provide mild relaxing buzz, boost your mood and enhance creativity and relaxation. I've been taking a low dosage of these before bed and you know what? I wake up the next day ready to tackle my day with a vengeance. And my parenting skills, I gotta be honest, they've gone through the roof. The out of office gummies come in four different strengths so you can find the perfect dose for your vibes. You can choose from a gentle microdose, a perfect buzz, a noticeable high, or the fully lit experience which we call the Tim Miller Special. With wellness at the forefront, you can feel good about what you're putting in your body. All of Sol's products are made from organically farmed USA grown hemp and are vegan, gluten free and low in sugar. If you like their out of office gummies, you've got to try their new out of office beverage, A refreshing, alcohol free alternative perfect for the summer sipping. So bring on the good vibes and treat yourself to sole today. Right now, Sol is offering our audience 30% off your entire order. Go to getsold.com and use the code bulwarktakes. That's getsold.com, promo code bulwarktakes for 30% off.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Okay, so you might ask, since this story is bullshit, is the press challenging it? But the press did challenge it. They debunked it over and over and now they're tired and they want to move on. So they don't even flinch anymore when Trump says it. Let me show you three examples. The first one is from Fox News in February. Watch Bret Baier's face at the end of this clip and you'll see him smiling.

[Will Saletan]

If the election weren't rigged, this would have never happened. And let's see whether or not Fox lets you put that in. Okay, the election weren't rigged. You hear me? Rigged. Let's see. I mean, it would have. This would have never happened. It wouldn't happened with Putin. And October 7th would have never happened either.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

See, Trump is testing the network. He says, I'm going to repeat my story that the election was rigged. And let's see if they put it on the air. And they did. And Bear didn't push back at all. He just sat there and smiled. That's Fox. So let's see what happened a couple of months later when Trump went on ABC with Terry Moran.

[Will Saletan]

This is a war that if the election weren't rigged and it was totally rigged, the 2020 election, if it weren't rigged, you wouldn't have that, you wouldn't have had the embarrassment of Afghanistan. You wouldn't have October 7th with Israel. You wouldn't have had any of the problems that you have right now. I want to ask one question. You wouldn't have had inflation either.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Moran knows this is bullshit, but he's got a list of questions he's trying to get to, so he just moves on. And here's one more. Trump on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker. You're going to see her push back, but Trump doesn't give an inch. And she's got other stuff to get to. So just like Moran, she moves on. Let me ask you, there's no question.

[Will Saletan]

About the election was rigged. The facts are in and it's still being litigated. Let's go.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

You did take your case to court.

[Will Saletan]

More than 60 times and didn't win those cases. I won a lot of court. Just to button that up, though, sir. Just to button that up. What are you talking about? Are you, Are we talking about. Let's talk about here and now. Let's talk about the election of 2020. Let's not talk about. Let's talk about here and now.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Are you worried about a recession?

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

That is how we got here. And here's where we are. Trump, Tuesday morning on cnbc. Watch the host Joe Kernan laugh and roll over when Trump does it again.

[Will Saletan]

But what they did in the 2020 election is, is grotesque. I mean, that was a rigged election. We can't relitigate that. We can't relitigate that. Now we're back to rigging again. Well, you can use it because everyone knows. Yeah, we know. What? A year ago, you would have been upset if I said it. Today it's different. I say it all the time. It was a rigged election. Rigged.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

So it shouldn't be a surprise when Trump does the same damn thing about the job numbers. Watch Kernan roll over again when Trump says the job numbers are fake.

[Will Saletan]

And it was a big number. And obviously the numbers were rigged. The numbers were rigged. It's totally rigged. Smart people know it. People with common sense know it. And a lot of people like to keep their head under the covers. And let's move on to this. But there were other revisions downward from prior to the election because the numbers were rigged. Okay.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

And as you said, okay, they've given up. The press is done fighting Trump. He said the election was rigged. He said it over and over. And people stopped fighting him. And the crowds and the donors and the, and the politicians decided to just go along. And they're doing the same thing now with the job numbers. When Trump said in 2020 that the election was rigged, that was a warning. It was a warning that he's delusional. And then he tried to overthrow the election and that was a warning. And way too many voters blew off that warning. They thought, okay, he's wrong about the election, but he can be rational about everything else. And the lesson on what's happening now with the rigged job numbers is that was wrong. Trump is a whack job and he's going to be a whack job about everything he touches. See you next time.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hello, it is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on jumbaccasino.com I looked over the person sitting next to me and you know what they were doing. They're also playing Chumba Casino. Everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumba Casino is home to hundreds of casino style games that you can play for free, anytime, anywhere. So sign up [e-mail] to claim your free welcome bonus. That's chumbacasino.com and live the Chumba Life.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Will Saletan]

No purchase necessary VGW Group Void where.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply when you think about businesses that are selling through the roof, Allbirds or Skims. Sure you think about a great product, a cool brand and brilliant marketing. But an often overlooked secret is actually the businesses behind the business making, selling and for the shoppers buying. Simple. For millions of businesses, that business is Shopify. Nobody does selling better than Shopify, home of the number one checkout on the planet. And the not so secret secret with shop pay that boosts conversions up to 50%, meaning way less carts going abandoned and way more sales going. So if you're into growing your business, your commerce platform better be ready to sell wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling on the web, in your store, in their feed and everywhere in between. Businesses that sell more sell on Shopify. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout Skims uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com audioboom all lowercase go to shopify.com audioboom to upgrade your selling today. Shopify.com audioboom mmm.

[Will Saletan]

Ooh. Whatcha eating? The new banana split cookie from AM pm All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ah, that sounds amazing.

[Will Saletan]

Can I have a bite? I'm sorry but no but you can't split the banana. Split? Not even a little?

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Not even a crumb. What if.

[Will Saletan]

No, please. Mine. When it's too legit to split. That's cravenience. Get a 3 pack for 99 cents with our app ampm.

[Unnamed Political Commentator]

Too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary.

[Will Saletan]

Terms and conditions apply.