The Reporters Who Proved That Journalism Is More Powerful Than Trump

But the call to rethink journalism fundamentally — to argue that many traditional notions of professionalism are invitations to timidity, and obstacles to truth-telling — came to full flower in the Trump years. This critique explains the many voices of alarm over new CNN CEO Chris Licht’s plans to steer the network back toward journalistic traditionalism — away from the sensational tone favored by his predecessor, away from brash language that can sound like commentary more than neutral reporting, away from content that might cause critics to claim the network has an ideological agenda. This Will Not Pass, from the spring, by Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin, exposed the hypocrisy and weakness of House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in privately vowing to confront Trump on election denialism — “I’ve had it with this guy” — before publicly reverting to obsequious support. This fall, co-authors Peter Baker and Susan B. Glasser are out with The Divider, whose many revelations include how even purported Trump loyalists like his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told associates that “the crazies have taken over” at the White House after Trump refused to accept that he lost the 2020 election.