Poynter is reporting that President Donald Trump called on the Federal Communications Commission to punish NBC News' Kristen Welker for her commentary regarding his midterm election endorsements. It said Welker accurately noted Trump's "mixed results" with endorsements, which prompted the president to blast her on Truth Social and demand FCC action. Poynter highlighted that the FCC lacks the authority to punish journalists for such commentary, citing CNN's Brian Stelter and FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. It also noted FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's history of taking aggressive action against licensees following Trump's complaints.
Poynter also reported on Trump's personal attacks against New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. It said Trump criticized Haberman on Truth Social after she co-authored a story about his decision not to attend a 9/11 anniversary ceremony. The New York Times defended its reporting, stating it was based on information from multiple sources and that the White House communications team did not contradict the story initially.
Separately, Poynter noted The New York Times' investigation into alleged abusive treatment of deportees by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. It said the Department of Homeland Security called the story a "hoax" on social media, while The New York Times responded by defending its rigorous reporting and the accuracy of the deportees' testimonies.
Poynter reported that the U.S. Department of the Treasury denied credentials to certain reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News for high-level G20 finance meetings in Asheville, North Carolina. It said The New York Times criticized the decision as an attempt to evade public scrutiny, while a Treasury Department spokesperson stated nearly 300 media members would be welcomed.
Additionally, Poynter highlighted a Washington Post story revealing that the Pentagon secretly installed several conservative military veterans with large online followings into civilian roles. It said these individuals amplify Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's viewpoints and attack those who scrutinize the Trump administration.
In media industry news, Poynter reported the unexpected departure of Roxanna Scott as ESPN's top editor after less than a year. Citing Front Office Sports, it said her role was eliminated in a reorganization of the network's news division.