Former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman knocked mainstream news outlets for softening coverage of President Trump.
“The conventional news media are invaluable,” Krugman said during an appearance on MSNBC on Monday. “I depend upon the reporting from my old employer and depend upon reporting from other news organizations. But there’s definitely sanewashing that goes on. Definitely an unwillingness to just flatly report the … we have crazy stuff.”
Krugman left the Times late last year to launch an independent newsletter after more than two decades at the news outlet.
Krugman said his new project allows him to be “able to talk about this stuff without trying to sound moderate and sensible, because these are not moderate and sensible times.”
The journalist’s comments were first highlighted by Mediate.
Trump’s re-election last year came at a time when public polling shows widespread distrust of news outlets among American voters and amid new questions in the media about how best to cover the president.
Krugman has been sharply critical of Trump in recent years over his economic policies, writing recently that his immigration agenda will “hobble” major industries like food production and construction.
