Report: Live Trump Interviews Called Journalistic 'Malpractice'

During a recent interview, ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos claimed it is irresponsible for media outlets to air live television interviews with former President Trump.

The anchor and former President Clinton adviser spoke to Mediaite editor-in-chief Aidan McLaughlin for the inaugural episode of the outlet’s "Press Club" podcast airing over the weekend. The two journalists spoke about covering the presidential election this year and how the media need to approach reporting on the former president.

"I mean, I think it’s journalistic malpractice to do a live interview with President Trump on television," Stephanopoulos told McLaughlin during the remote interview.

The Mediaite host brought up the topic, stating how Trump is difficult to handle because "I have long felt that Trump’s superpower is a lack of shame." 

Stephanopoulos

"Huge," the ABC man chimed in. 

McLaughlin continued, "And you see it when, you know, when he’ll be up on a town hall stage or a debate stage, or in an interview with a reporter, and he’ll say ‘Two plus two equals five,’ and he’ll get fact-checked and we’ll just keep barreling through. Or, when there’s a controversy and he doesn’t apologize for it when any other politician in the history of politics would."

Stephanopoulos followed up by noting that wrangling with Trump is "going to be a challenge" during the upcoming presidential debates, and then made his "malpractice" point.

Fox News Digital reports other networks have put the ABC News anchor's perspective into practice. MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow explained her show's decision to decline to air Trump's Iowa primary victory speech in January. At the time, she told her viewers, "There is a cost to us, as a news organization of knowingly broadcasting untrue things. That is a fundamental truth of our business and who we are. And so, his remarks, tonight, will not air here live. We will monitor them and let you know about any news that he makes."

McLaughlin asked the ABC News anchor what he thought about the network hosting the debate cutting Trump’s microphone at certain points in the event.