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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark., said the mainstream media’s coverage of President Donald Trump reflects what she described as a loss of control in the industry.
Appearing on “The Riley Gaines Show” Tuesday, the former White House press secretary argued the media’s criticism of Trump stems from his ability to bypass traditional gatekeepers and reach the public directly.
“That’s one of the things they hated the most is that he didn’t need them,” Sanders said.
“He was able to talk directly to the American people without having to use the media in a way that everybody who had come before him had to,” she added.
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President Donald Trump spoke during a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, D.C., where he warned journalists against publishing details of a U.S. military raid to rescue two airmen shot down over Iran, saying such reporting could jeopardize operations. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The president has consistently used social media sites to share his thoughts with the public. Trump later created his own platform, Truth Social, after he was banned from Twitter prior to its acquisition by Elon Musk.
“This was somebody who decided that he wasn’t just [going to] stick with the traditional types of media,” Sanders said. “And if they were [going to] continue to attack him relentlessly, which they have done, he would simply go around them.”
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Trump has routinely tapped nontraditional media sources to share his message. During his 2024 presidential run, he turned to major podcasts, including “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” to reach a larger audience, specifically younger voters.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attends a natural disaster preparedness event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 10, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“He has proven that he can still be successful. He can still get his message out without having to use them as the only tool to do so,” Sanders added.
Trump has continued to use alternative media sources to communicate with the public, frequently posting updates on the conflict with Iran on Truth Social.
The White House also revamped the briefing room, adding a “new media” seat to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s briefings. The seat rotates among new media voices who produce content but are not typically represented by legacy outlets.
Trump, however, continues to have an adversarial relationship with several traditional news outlets. Last week, he criticized The New York Times and CNN for their coverage of the Iran conflict.
“Think of it — we militarily decapitated the country, and every day I read about how well they’re doing militarily. They have nothing left. They’re done,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
President Donald Trump spoke with reporters prior to departing from the South Lawn of the White House on May 1, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
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“And yet, I read in The New York Times, I see on stupid CNN, which I only watch because you have to watch a little bit of the enemy, so I watch it for a very short period,” he continued.
“And if you see CNN, you’d think they’re winning the war. If you read The New York Times, it’s actually seditious, in my opinion. You read The New York Times, you actually think they’re winning the war… it’s a terrible thing.”
Madison is a writer for Fox News Digital on the Flash team.
