Bestselling Author Says Reporters Must Call Out Trump’s Lies And Stick Together

Since Donald Trump announced his intention to run for president in 2015, journalists have grappled with how to deal with things he says. When the president says something demonstrably false, reporters have been reluctant to call it a lie. Now, best-selling author Don Winslow says that this is a mistake, and that it’s time to interrupt Trump and call him out every time that he lobs false accusations, takes credit for something he didn’t do, or gives misleading and dangerous medical information.

In a short video, hashtagged #interrupttrump, Winslow shows Trump interrupting and speaking over reporters who try to question him. He suggests that journalists adopt the same practice when the president lies — interrupt him, call out the lie in real time, and even stand up and leave as a group.

Dear White House Press Correspondents, (@whca)

Thank you for the very difficult job you do every day.

I understand Trump is having another press conference today.

Here's my new short video to prepare. #InterruptTrump#InterruptTrump pic.twitter.com/EZbvSqiYi1

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) August 10, 2020

As HuffPost reports, Winslow has a career history as a private investigator and has addressed current affairs in his books. He has challenged Trump to a debate on border security — a challenge the president refuses to acknowledge. Now he’s challenging the press.

What if you simply call a lie a lie…What if the next time Trump called one of your colleagues stupid, the entire White House Correspondents Association got up and walked out in protest? What if you stopped being so polite?

Winslow has been pointing this out in specific situations, such as when the president lies about his predecessor, falsely accusing him of criminal activity, or when he endangers the nation by spreading false claims — lies — about the pandemic and what the public can expect.

What did Donald Trump learn today during his WH press conference?

He learned that he can DEGRADE and LIE about America's first Black President **AND** accuse him of TREASON and the White House Press Corps will NOT challenge him AT ALL or ask him for ANY EVIDENCE.

It's horrific. https://t.co/Xsn7Xc0ib8

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) August 11, 2020

Dear White House Correspondents,

You're allowed to interrupt and correct Trump IN REAL TIME every time he says that he built the greatest economy and only the virus ruined it.

It's not true.

Tons of data prove that it's not true.

Stop letting him lie.

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) August 4, 2020

THERE WILL NOT BE A VACCINE DISTRIBUTED BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

DONALD TRUMP IS LYING TO YOU.

HE WILL SAY ANYTHING TO GET RE-ELECTED.

CALL OUT THIS LIE TO LOW INFORMATION VOTERS WHO ONLY WATCH FOX NEWS AND LISTEN TO HIS BULLSHIT.

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) July 4, 2020

On Monday, a reporter did press Trump on a lie he’s repeated often — the claim that he signed into law Veterans Choice, a bill that provided more options for veterans seeking medical care. The bill was signed in 2014, by Barack Obama. When he tried to dodge the question, the reporter, CNN‘s Paula Reid, was persistent, and the president walked out of the press conference.