Former President Barack Obama defended legacy media outlets during a Monday appearance at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, telling attendees he believes mainstream news organizations “still do a very good job of just presenting facts.”
His comments came in response to a question from museum chairperson Olivia Walton about which media outlets he relies on.
Obama’s remarks followed renewed national discussion about corporate media credibility and reporting standards.
A Wall Street Journal article published Dec. 19, 2024, reported that White House aides had “insulated” Joe Biden, including from members of his own Cabinet, as his health declined.
The story echoed earlier reporting from the outlet that drew criticism from some media organizations at the time.
Obama said cable news outlets, regardless of political alignment, had “fallen prey” to economic incentives.
“I actually think — I actually think that the mainstream news still does a very good job of just presenting facts,” Obama said.
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“I think cable, regardless of the cable station, has fallen prey to the same economic imperatives that we’re seeing in every other type of news, which is, you are deliberately controversial, deliberately aggressive, deliberately trying to make people feel angry and aggrieved, because that attracts attention.”
Questions about the White House’s public statements regarding Biden’s health persisted throughout his final year in office.
Biden referenced speaking with individuals who had been deceased for years, including former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who died in 2017, and former French President Francois Mitterrand, who died in 1996.
Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich discussed press hesitation on “America’s Newsroom” in May 2025.
Heinrich told host Bill Hemmer that many reporters avoided the topic of Biden’s health.
“Well, you know, for about three years they would go like this: They don’t want to be associated,” Heinrich said while leaning away from Hemmer.
When Hemmer asked, “Who?” she answered, “The rest of the press, because the White House was very effective in maligning anyone who was skeptical about the president’s age and abilities as a bad actor, as someone who is not a good journalist.”
Heinrich later added that the White House press office “abused” reporters who asked those questions “with sourcing.”
The White House unveiled a new feature on its website Friday calling out what it described as “fake news” coverage.
🚨 BREAKING: The Trump White House just launched a page EXPOSING the Fake News in incredible fashion 🤣🔥
There is a LEADERBOARD: “A race to the bottom,” and Washington Post is the worst by FAR
The “Offender Hall of Shame”: “A record of the media’s false and misleading stories… pic.twitter.com/nRP1ddXnbq
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 28, 2025
The update followed several high-profile corrections and controversies involving corporate media reporting on President Donald Trump in recent years.
The British Broadcasting Corporation faced criticism after The Telegraph reported that a documentary used clips from Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, speech that were 54 minutes apart, edited in a way that suggested he encouraged the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Following the report, two senior BBC officials resigned.
🚨 BREAKING: The BBC was just exposed for DOCTORING President Trump’s Jan 6 speech to make it seem he ENDORSED rioting, per whistleblower
“We’re gonna walk to the Capitol”
DOCTORED: “And FIGHT LIKE HELL!”
ORIGINAL: “And cheer on congressmen and women!” pic.twitter.com/z88mmVhikG…
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 3, 2025
BBC chairman Samir Shah issued an apology to Trump in a Nov. 13 letter and said the documentary would not air again.
Trump reached a $15 million settlement with ABC in December 2024 after suing the network on March 19, 2024.
The lawsuit centered on a March 10, 2024, interview in which “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos told Republican Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” a claim Trump disputed.
ABC agreed to settle after weeks of legal proceedings.
🚨 #BREAKING: ABC agrees to pay President Trump $15 MILLION after defaming him
BIG WIN! 🔥
George Stephanopolous falsely stated that President Trump “r*ped” E Jean Carroll
The settlement comes with an “apology” from ABC News as well:
“ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret… pic.twitter.com/KYzQiSPg1Z
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 14, 2024
In July 2025, Paramount announced it had resolved a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump over the editing of an October 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump alleged that the broadcast misrepresented statements made during the interview.
Remember Kamala’s word salad answer about Israel on 60 Minutes? It’s gone.
This is what many Americans will now see. pic.twitter.com/H4w7btDv6x
— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 8, 2024
Paramount confirmed the settlement but did not disclose additional terms.
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