Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate

Media Matters for America

  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives

Media Matters for America

  • Nav
  • Search
  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Donald Trump and Twitter

Ceci Freed / Media Matters | Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons

Mainstream media organizations repeat Trump’s lie justifying new tariffs

Other reports debunk Trump’s claim that governments of Argentina and Brazil devalued their currencies

Written by Zachary Pleat

Published 12/02/19 12:36 PM EST

President Donald Trump on Monday announced on Twitter new tariffs targeting steel and aluminum shipments from Argentina and Brazil, claiming the countries “have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies.” Twitter accounts of NBC News, CBS News, PBS, and CNN uncritically repeated Trump’s claim, even though other reporting contradicts it.

Trump’s announcement has not yet turned into formal policy and reportedly surprised Brazil’s president. Just as Trump’s invocation of national security to justify earlier tariffs was bogus, his latest claim also appears contrary to the facts. According to Axios’ coverage of the announcement, both countries’ currencies “are freely traded and have been for years” and “have weakened because of political upheavals and dwindling growth forecasts in the two countries — not government intervention.” The Washington Post’s article on Trump’s announcement pointed to the latest biannual Treasury Department report on currency manipulation that “did not allege Brazil or Argentina had done anything improper in handling their currencies.”

Yet tweets from four broadcast and cable news networks passed on Trump’s lie justifying his action, continuing a pattern of major news outlets repeating Trump’s misinformation to their audiences:

The Latest

  1. Far-right streamer Nick Fuentes on Trump’s new H-1B visa fees: “They just lied. ... Howard Lutnick is a clown and frankly so is Trump.”

    Video & Audio 09/25/25 1:20 PM EDT

  2. Fox News chief political analyst: Trump “had almost a man crush on Vladimir Putin”

    Video & Audio 09/25/25 1:12 PM EDT

  3. On The Joy Reid Show, Angelo Carusone discusses media consolidation and news outlets standing up to threats to free speech

    Video & Audio 09/25/25 1:03 PM EDT

  4. Larry Elder radio caller reacts to Epstein scandal: “The entire Trump administration had better look out because you're losing people left and right”

    Video & Audio 09/25/25 11:58 AM EDT

  5. Steve Bannon says Russ Vought will “take a meat axe to the administrative state” in the event of a government shutdown

    Video & Audio 09/25/25 11:44 AM EDT

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Current page 149
  • …
  • Next page ››

In This Article

  • Donald Trump

    Donald-Trump-MMFA-Tag.png
  • Tariffs / Trade

Related

  1. All-In host Jason Calacanis criticizes Trump for surrounding “himself with very inexperienced sycophants” based on “loyalty to him”

    Video & Audio 02/02/26 11:44 AM EST

  2. Tim Dillon decries Trump's “performative” ICE raids, says administration is “unserious and cruel”

    Video & Audio 02/02/26 10:48 AM EST

  3. Jesse Watters praises Donald Trump for watching Fox News and doing what the people on TV tell him to do

    Video & Audio 01/29/26 6:26 PM EST

Media Matters for America

Sign up for email updates
  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Submissions
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • RSS

© 2026 Media Matters for America

RSS