Russiagate reckoning erodes press legitimacy

A sustained, forensic review of mainstream coverage of Trump and Russia shows a pattern: initial dismissal, commercial amplification, then investigative overreach that produced high-profile prizes alongside retractions and damaged careers. That mixed record created a durable rupture between the White House and national press and reshaped how political actors treat media credibility. — If major outlets misread a consequential story and the errors become widely visible, that shift changes how voters, politicians, and courts treat press claims — with implications for elections, accountability, and conspiracy spread.