This WH opacity seems like a new problem for journalism. In past administrations (inc. Trump 1) reporting provided a window on who was driving key policies, why, and infighting over them. A lot of great reporting on Trump 2 – yet a surprising # of WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?? questions go unanswered - ThreadSky

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johnmcquaid.bsky.social • 42 days ago

This WH opacity seems like a new problem for journalism. In past administrations (inc. Trump 1) reporting provided a window on who was driving key policies, why, and infighting over them. A lot of great reporting on Trump 2 – yet a surprising # of WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?? questions go unanswered

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johnmcquaid.bsky.social•42 days ago

One reason (Miller aside): no one is in charge. WH actions are the result of shifting, unstable alliances of radical factions, w/Trump's vague approval but not much more—as the Josh Marshall piece makes clear, positing an unholy convergence of cultural expertise-haters, tech bros, and anti-vaxxers

johnmcquaid.bsky.social•42 days ago

In the past journalists reported o sources involved in some systematic policy process (with various bureaucratic and political dimensions/actors). But now there is no policy process, no system, things are happening seemingly at random b/c some group sees an opportunity and takes it

johnmcquaid.bsky.social•42 days ago

The breakdown of "ordinary U.S. policy" where there is some basic rationale behind why the govt. does things, which can be (and usually is) explained by somebody – is itself a huge story. Trump 2 almost never explains why it's doing things, and when it does it's vicious propaganda and/or nonsense

johnmcquaid.bsky.social•42 days ago

This public communication problem is mirrored in the Trump 2 performances before various courts, which are all shambolic/obfuscatory – because like the policy process, there is no Trump 2 jurisprudence process either

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