The Washington Post’s Adam Entous mischaracterized a flippant comment made in jest by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as a sincere expression of fear that Donald Trump is an agent of foreign influence operating on behalf of the Kremlin.
Entous’ Wednesday headline reads: “House majority leader to colleagues in 2016: ‘I think Putin pays’ Trump,” decontextualizing the comment’s humorous flavor in order to push a narrative of Republicans secretly fearing Trump as an operative of a covert Moscow-driven coup.
The Washington Post transcribed the audio of a private conversation between McCarthy, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Republican Conference Chairman Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), opting against providing the full audio to its consumers.
Below is a broader context of the conversation omitted from the primary article (emphases added):
[clip]
The Washington Post and NBC News both present themselves as politically balanced and non-partisan news media outlets.
FAKE NEWS: WaPo Claims House Majority Leader Said Russia Paid Trump. He Was Obviously Joking.
Entous’ Wednesday headline reads: “House majority leader to colleagues in 2016: ‘I think Putin pays’ Trump,” decontextualizing the comment’s humorous flavor in order to push a narrative of Republicans secretly fearing Trump as an operative of a covert Moscow-driven coup.
The Washington Post transcribed the audio of a private conversation between McCarthy, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Republican Conference Chairman Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), opting against providing the full audio to its consumers.
Below is a broader context of the conversation omitted from the primary article (emphases added):
McCarthy: The Russians hacked the DNC and got the opp research that they had on Trump.
McCarthy: laughs
[Crosstalk]
Ryan: The Russian’s hacked the DNC…
McHenry: … to get oppo …
Ryan: … on Trump and like delivered it to … to who?
[Unintelligible]
McCarthy: There’s … there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump… [laughter] … swear to God.
Ryan: This is an off the record … [laughter] … NO LEAKS … [laughter] … alright?!
[Laughter]
Ryan: This is how we know we’re a real family here.
Scalise: That’s how you know that we’re tight.
[Laughter]
Ryan: What’s said in the family stays in the family.
McCarthy: laughs
[Crosstalk]
Ryan: The Russian’s hacked the DNC…
McHenry: … to get oppo …
Ryan: … on Trump and like delivered it to … to who?
[Unintelligible]
McCarthy: There’s … there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump… [laughter] … swear to God.
Ryan: This is an off the record … [laughter] … NO LEAKS … [laughter] … alright?!
[Laughter]
Ryan: This is how we know we’re a real family here.
Scalise: That’s how you know that we’re tight.
[Laughter]
Ryan: What’s said in the family stays in the family.
[clip]
The Washington Post and NBC News both present themselves as politically balanced and non-partisan news media outlets.
FAKE NEWS: WaPo Claims House Majority Leader Said Russia Paid Trump. He Was Obviously Joking.