Fred Trump, a nephew of President Donald Trump, wrote on X that the media's decision to curb certain coverage of the president is justified and can blunt his appetite for attention. He shared a 1990 family anecdote — when Donald was upset about not being on The New York Post cover after eight straight front pages — to illustrate the point. The post comes as CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenge White House access restrictions in court and after CNN chose not to air the president's U.N. address live.
Trump's Nephew Says Media Should Withhold Attention, Shares 1990 'Cover' Anecdote
Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo
Fred Trump, a nephew of President Donald Trump, posted on X urging news organizations to consider withholding the attention the president often seeks. In his post he argued that minimizing coverage of some provocations can be an effective countermeasure.
The Family Anecdote
Fred recalled a Father's Day in 1990 when Donald appeared gloomy despite recent front-page coverage. His uncle Robert reportedly told him, "Don't you get it? He wasn't on the cover of the Post today." Fred wrote that he has never forgotten that line.
Fred said he suggested the idea of a coverage pullback to reporter Vaughn Hillyard (as noted in his post) and argued that while consequential news should always be reported, not every provocation requires amplification.
Recent Clash With the Media
The post comes amid an escalating standoff between the White House and several outlets. CNN reportedly chose not to carry President Trump's address to the United Nations live, and an exchange outside the White House between Mr. Trump and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins was widely reported: Mr. Trump told Collins, "You shouldn't be here covering me," and she replied that the United Nations allowed the network entry.
According to reports, the administration removed CNN from a planned TV pool assignment and then launched a YouTube channel branded as "Trump TV." CNN, MS NOW and Politico have since filed lawsuits challenging the access restrictions.
Bottom Line
Fred Trump's post frames a media pullback as a deliberate strategy: cover important, consequential reporting, but resist amplifying every provocation that is primarily designed to attract attention.
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