There’s a bit of irony packed into the president’s fight with the Wall Street Journal, according to one analyst.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon told Andrew Zucker on his podcast “The Golden Age” that President Donald Trump’s reaction to the Wall Street Journal’s bombshell report about a letter Trump allegedly sent disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday makes the newspaper’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, the true winner of the affair.
On one hand, Murdoch could be seen as the “savior of good journalism” because it has been critical of Trump in its coverage, Lemon argued.
On the other hand, Lemon continued that it could also make Murdoch look like a stalwart of the First Amendment despite how he’s managed Fox News.
Lemon said the turn of events feels like “poetic justice.”
“The Wall Street Journal has been fairly consistent in holding Donald Trump’s feet to the fire, and being real journalists, and now they’re suffering the consequences for it,” Lemon said.
Trump’s battle with the Wall Street Journal has been one of the few carry-overs from his first administration. The paper’s editorial board has been critical of many of Trump’s economic policies, especially his favored tariffs. Meanwhile, other journalists appear to be working on developing stories about Trump’s ties to Epstein, a topic that the president would rather avoid discussing.
While Trump has been able to settle many recent lawsuits out of court, Lemon thinks that Trump may have to fight this one all the way to the end.
“I don’t think Rupert Murdoch is going to back down,” Lemon said.
“You don’t think he’ll settle?” Zucker asked.
“No, I don’t,” Lemon replied.