President Donald Trump received just two days of positive press from the broadcast news networks after the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian collusion.
Attorney General William Barr released the “principal conclusions” of the Mueller investigation on March 24. In addition to the fact that Mueller issued no new indictments against the president or his family, Barr indicated that the investigation did not establish collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Prior to the 24th, the broadcast networks covered Trump 91 percent negatively on their evening news shows. But from the 24th to the 25th, Trump earned their rare praise. Across those two days, the networks gave Trump 80 percent positive coverage, with anchors and reporters calling the Mueller conclusion “a major victory” and an “all-out win.”
The honeymoon didn’t last long.
Between March 26 and March 31, the networks went back to bashing the president over Obamacare replacement, Special Olympics funding and closing the border. Over that time period, Trump received 79% negative coverage.
