Scoop: White House launches Drudge-style website to promote Trump
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President Trump marks his 100th day in office with a speech in Warren, Mich., on April 29. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
The White House has launched a new Drudge Report-like website devoted to promoting pro-Trump news stories.
Why it matters: The site, called White House Wire, represents the administration's latest effort to circumvent the mainstream media and present itself in a positive light.
- The Trump administration has ruffled the feathers of establishment media giants by inviting Trump-friendly outlets and personalities into the White House briefing room.
- It also has punished mainstream outlets whose coverage it doesn't approve of — most notably AP, whose access it curtailed after the outlet refused to start referring to the "Gulf of Mexico" as the "Gulf of America" in its coverage.
Driving the news: The White House Wire, which has the url link WH.gov/wire, presents columns of links that send readers to articles.
- "THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FIRST 100 DAYS IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY," the site's headline blared on Tuesday evening, linking to a Fox News article.
- "24/7 FORTY-SEVEN," read a ticker on the site.
- "Border shutdown tops list of Trump's successes at 100 days," said one headline that linked to a Washington Times story.
- "The President's First 100 Days Is a Return to American Greatness," said one that linked to a Newsweek op-ed authored by Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas.
- Another linked to Trump's interview this week with ABC News.
The intrigue: The website looks similar to the Drudge Report, the popular political website that also serves as a bulletin board for links.
- The Drudge Report was once known as a conservative-friendly platform — it rose to fame in the 1990s for breaking the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal — but it has been critical of Trump in recent years.
What they're saying: A White House official said the site serves a key strategic purpose: To give pro-Trump influencers a central hub to disseminate Trump-favorable coverage.
- "It's a place for supporters of the president's agenda to get the real news all in one place in a shareable and readable format," the official said.
- "The website will be a one-stop shop for news and is part of the Trump administration's effort to provide transparency and institute policies that put America first," they added.
Matt Drudge, the creator/editor of the Drudge Report, plastered his site with the news of the White House's site. "IT TAKES AN ENTIRE WEST WING TO COMPETE WITH DRUDGE" he wrote.
- He later joked to Axios: "I'm considering a $1 trillion lawsuit!"
This story has been updated with reaction from Matt Drudge.
Go deeper: Axios interview: Inside the briefing room
