Full Story Newsroom edition: Trump’s war on truth reverberates in Australia
Sep 25, 2025
Lenore Taylor, Editor of Guardian Australia, and Josephine Tovey, National news editor, discuss the rapid spread of misinformation from Trump to Australia. They explore the challenges journalists face in live fact-checking and adapting headlines to combat falsehoods. The duo emphasizes the need for integrating facts into stories and highlights the influence of Trump's rhetoric on Australian politics and public health narratives. They also touch on corporate pressures that threaten media independence and the vital role of journalists in upholding truth.
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Presidential Lies Travel Internationally
- Trump's falsehoods spread globally because his presidential authority amplifies them beyond the US.
- That global reach encourages similar nativist tactics in other countries seeking the same effect.
Embed Live Fact-Checks In Coverage
- Live news must embed fact-checks immediately when leaders make false health claims to prevent harm.
- Provide the claim, then the evidence, so readers get context without being misled by headlines.
Objectivity Isn't Neutrality Anymore
- Journalism's old 'just report it' objectivity lets misinformation stick if headlines repeat mistruths.
- Newsrooms now accept responsibility to filter and present truths rather than act as stenographers.