When Donald J. Trump was found guilty on all counts in the hush money trial, some in the press were caught off guard. But the former president and conservative pundits primed for this result with a strategic messaging campaign. On this week’s On the Media, hear how Trump uses Truth Social to disseminate talking points to a web of right-wing influencers.

[01:10] Host Micah Loewinger analyzes the media coverage following the announcement of the verdict in Trump’s hush money trial and the ways that rightwing media had been primed to respond. He also interviews Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post about how a network of right-wing influencers amplify Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts, carrying their reach far beyond the platform. 

[22:58] Micah speaks with Matthew Goldstein, business reporter at the New York Times, about the short, rocky history of Trump Media and how the company became the latest memestock. 

[35:58] Lastly, host Brooke Gladstone interviews Lynsey Addario, an award-winning photojournalist who has covered humanitarian crises abroad for over two decades, about how accurately Alex Garland’s film “Civil War” depicts what it's like to report on violent conflict and her real-life experiences covering wars abroad.

Further reading:

• “How Trump’s allies amplify his Truth Social messages to the wider world,” by Sarah Ellison
• “How Donald Trump’s Financial Future Became Tied to Trump Media,” by Matthew Goldstein

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