Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Epstein
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • 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
  • Twitter
  • 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. Matt Walsh: Trump's push to change the Washington Commanders' name is an “unsubtle attempt to change the subject” from Epstein

    Video & Audio 07/23/25 4:39 PM EDT

  2. Fox News has mentioned Obama over 3 times more than Epstein since Tulsi Gabbard released her report

    Research/Study 07/23/25 4:07 PM EDT

  3. Right-wing media use Tulsi Gabbard's flimsy memo to call for imprisoning Obama

    Research/Study 07/23/25 12:30 PM EDT

  4. As Trump struggles to deflect from reporting on his Epstein ties, MAGA media set their sights on the press

    Article 07/23/25 11:57 AM EDT

  5. Fox host Brian Kilmeade: “The border sealed, it could allow maybe moving forward on immigration reform”

    Video & Audio 07/23/25 9:30 AM EDT

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹‹
  • …
  • Current page 59
  • …
  • Next page ››

In This Article

  • Donald Trump

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

Related

  1. Joe Rogan on Jimmy Kimmel's suspension: “I definitely don't think that the government should be involved, ever, in dictating what a comedian can or cannot say in a monologue. That's fucking crazy.”

    Video & Audio 09/23/25 2:23 PM EDT

  2. CNN on Trump's UN speech: “Trump said that grocery prices are down during his presidency. They're up and the pace of the increases is accelerating as his tariffs take effect.”

    Video & Audio 09/23/25 1:24 PM EDT

  3. Alex Jones calls on Trump to “remove” Kash Patel and Pam Bondi

    Video & Audio 09/23/25 11:28 AM EDT

Media Matters for America

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

© 2025 Media Matters for America

RSS