A plea for solidarity in the press corps
Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host turned advocate, has called on reporters to stand together after Donald Trump’s recent decision to bar CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House. The move, which also saw competitors suspend shared coverage of the president’s events, has sparked a rare show of unity among outlets that normally compete for access. In a phone interview with the Guardian before the ban was announced, Carlson, now 60, described the president’s attacks on female journalists as an “outright onslaught” that demands a coordinated response. She warned that allowing such behaviour to go unchallenged would normalise misogyny in public discourse.
Challenges of speaking out against presidential attacks
Carlson’s own experience with workplace harassment informs her appeal for courage. A decade after suing Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, she now co‑leads Lift Our Voices, a non‑profit dedicated to ending silencing in the workplace. She recalled how Trump has repeatedly called female reporters “stupid”, “piggy”, “incompetent” and “a horrible person”. “That’s highly offensive to any human being, much less journalists whose job it is to cover the president with respect and dignity,” she said. She urged colleagues not to let such insults dictate their coverage, arguing that maintaining composure should not be a prerequisite for asking tough questions. “It’s my hope that other journalists will start speaking up when that happens and repeat the question that was asked because it likely wasn’t a stupid question,” she added.
The role of emerging pro‑Trump media
One obstacle to collective resistance, Carlson noted, is the proliferation of “Maga”‑aligned outlets that are quick to ask favourable questions and reluctant to defend mainstream colleagues. The president can call on these networks at any moment, potentially diluting the momentum of critical reporting. Nevertheless, she pointed to the White House Correspondents’ Association as a vehicle for coordinated action, citing its ability to organise a second dinner after an assassination attempt as evidence of its capacity to rally. “If you’re watching this press conference, you normalise that then, and you’re like, oh, I guess that’s how we should treat everyone,” she observed, stressing that such normalisation harms both young men’s attitudes toward women and young women’s sense of entitlement to respect.
Progress beyond the backlash: legislative wins and survivor advocacy
Despite the regression personified by Trump, Carlson sees signs of advancement in unexpected quarters. She highlighted the bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which brought together Democrats such as Ro Khanna and Republicans including Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace. “It was an amazing bipartisan movement,” she remarked, crediting survivors for driving the push. She argued that public opinion has shifted dramatically over the past decade, with victims of high‑profile abuse now receiving more credence. “People actually believe the Epstein survivors now. Ten years ago, they would not have believed them,” she said, noting that each press conference on the Hill restores power to those who have been silenced.
Why it Matters
Carlson’s call for solidarity is more than a rhetorical flourish; it reflects a strategic effort to reshape the media landscape and protect journalistic integrity. By urging reporters to challenge presidential misogyny, she aims to prevent the erosion of professional standards that could embolden further attacks on the press. Her focus on non‑partisan workplace reforms—most notably the 2022 federal legislation that curbed forced arbitration clauses and banned certain non‑disclosure agreements—demonstrates how legislative victories can amplify the #MeToo movement’s impact beyond high‑profile cases. In a period marked by rising online hostility and the emergence of pro‑Trump media echo chambers, her advocacy offers a roadmap for preserving a free, respectful press corps that can hold power to account regardless of political affiliation.