The media has made Donald Trump look more coherent than he is. It’s called ‘sanewashing’
The US president often provides meandering non-answers and strange speeches, but news reports omit the weirdness. Does it matter?
On September 5th, 2024, Donald Trump gave a speech about his economic plans for the United States. Afterward, he was asked about childcare affordability and gave a lengthy, convoluted response. The media has been accused of "sanewashing" Trump, meaning they focus on his coherent parts while ignoring his incoherent ones. Some argue this gives the public an inaccurate view of Trump's mental state and potentially masks his dangerous ideas.
However, research shows that while sanewashing may occur, it is often a necessary part of journalism to prioritize what's most important.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
