--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Trump attacks the news media, he's…" description: "\"When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded animal.\" — Bret Stephens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg" --- # When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded… ![“When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded animal.” quote by Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg) > “When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded animal.” [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attacking the media is akin to harming a vulnerable creature, highlighting the damage of such criticism. **In simple terms:** Media attacks are harmful and unjust. Key Takeaway Defend press freedom and responsible critique. Themes media freedom criticism Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - journalistic integrity - media literacy - political commentary Key Concepts ethics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - When is media criticism justified? - How can media be held accountable responsibly? A Different Perspective Criticism can be constructive if evidence-based. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Wounded animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounded-animal/) ## Related quotes > [In addition to deep divisions on issues such as trade, climate change, Middle East peace and nuclear weapons, Trump's attacks on leaders such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/in-addition-to-deep-divisions-on-issues-such-as-trade-climate-change/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [When Trump started belittling him, Jeb reverted to Bush form. He couldn't understand how anyone could question his noble pursuit of public service. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/when-trump-started-belittling-him-jeb-reverted-to-bush-form-he-couldn/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [Conservatives have welcomed Trump's attacks on the establishment, have cheered his boldness, and have applauded his courage. He has taken on hitherto taboo issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/conservatives-have-welcomed-trump-s-attacks-on-the-establishment-have/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [When Donald Trump attacks the trade deals, which have helped to gut the American working class, it's very powerful, even though his solutions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-nairn/when-donald-trump-attacks-the-trade-deals-which-have-helped-to-gut/) [Allan Nairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-nairn/) > [For the most part, much of the legal world's attention has been focused on Donald Trump and his attacks on Gonzalo Curiel, the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/for-the-most-part-much-of-the-legal-world-s-attention-has-been/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [When President Trump attacks the media and his political opponents for criticizing him, he's attacking our founding principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/when-president-trump-attacks-the-media-and-his-political-opponents/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [Trump's attacks against the judiciary reflect his view that only he should be able to decide what he can and cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/trump-s-attacks-against-the-judiciary-reflect-his-view-that-only-he/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Trump attacks the media because trust in media is low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/trump-attacks-the-media-because-trust-in-media-is-low/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [ If you look at \[Donald\] Trump's attacks on Jeb Bush, they've been pretty devastating. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/if-you-look-at-donald-trump-s-attacks-on-jeb-bush-they-ve-been-pretty/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [“A wounded animal can only run so long before the hunter comes to claim it. The stains of his trail grow darker. They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-colt/a-wounded-animal-can-only-run-so-long-before-the-hunter-comes-to/) [K.J. Colt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-colt/) > [“She felt like she was walking up on a wounded animal, unsure if reaching out to him was going to win her a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/she-felt-like-she-was-walking-up-on-a-wounded-animal-unsure-if/) [Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/) > [“Slowly, as I would with a wounded animal, my hand stretches out and brushes a wave of hair from his forehead. He freezes at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/slowly-as-i-would-with-a-wounded-animal-my-hand-stretches-out-and/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [What a strange thing it is to recognize a sound like the shriek of a wounded animal, when you've never heard the shriek of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-heureux/what-a-strange-thing-it-is-to-recognize-a-sound-like-the-shriek-of-a/) [John L'Heureux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-heureux/) > [But Gale is not one to keep secrets from me. "Katniss, there is no district twelve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/but-gale-is-not-one-to-keep-secrets-from-me-katniss-there-is-no/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [You have to fear the wounded animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-evra/you-have-to-fear-the-wounded-animal/) [Patrice Evra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-evra/) ## More by Bret Stephens > [The hater always suffers more than the object of his hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-hater-always-suffers-more-than-the-object-of-his-hatred/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Listen carefully to the global warming alarmists, and the main theme that emerges is that what the developed world needs is a large dose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/listen-carefully-to-the-global-warming-alarmists-and-the-main-theme/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > ['Democratic socialism' is awful as a slogan and catastrophic as a policy. And 'social democracy' - a term that better fits the belief of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/democratic-socialism-is-awful-as-a-slogan-and-catastrophic-as-a/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When you work at 'The Wall Street Journal,' the coins of the realm are truth and trust - the latter flowing exclusively from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-you-work-at-the-wall-street-journal-the-coins-of-the-realm-are/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [No adviser to a president is going to get his way all of the time, but at a minimum, that adviser should be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/no-adviser-to-a-president-is-going-to-get-his-way-all-of-the-time-but/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Every president inherits a mixed bag when he comes to office, and Obama's was hardly the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/every-president-inherits-a-mixed-bag-when-he-comes-to-office-and/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [There was a time when the conservative movement was led by the likes of Bill Buckley and Irving Kristol and Bob Bartley, men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/there-was-a-time-when-the-conservative-movement-was-led-by-the-likes/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [We elected Donald J. Trump to keep us jittery and entertained. He's delivered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/we-elected-donald-j-trump-to-keep-us-jittery-and-entertained-he-s/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The United States survives so long as at least one of its major parties is politically and intellectually healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-united-states-survives-so-long-as-at-least-one-of-its-major/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Censoriously asserting one's moral superiority and treating skeptics as imbeciles and deplorables wins few converts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/censoriously-asserting-one-s-moral-superiority-and-treating-skeptics/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [What is absolutely clear is that if Trump is the nominee, Republicans cannot win. Maybe they can't win with Rubio or Cruz or Kasich.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/what-is-absolutely-clear-is-that-if-trump-is-the-nominee-republicans/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Everything Republicans once claimed to advocate - entitlement reform, free trade, standing up to dictators, encouraging the march of freedom around the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/everything-republicans-once-claimed-to-advocate-entitlement-reform/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The best scientific evidence suggests temperatures are rising, and the best scientific evidence suggests man-made anthropogenic carbon emissions have some substantial thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-best-scientific-evidence-suggests-temperatures-are-rising-and-the/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The intelligent defense of free speech should not rest on the notion that we must tolerate every form of speech, no matter how offensive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-intelligent-defense-of-free-speech-should-not-rest-on-the-notion/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When George W. Bush decided to save the American position in Iraq by going against the advice of all of his wise men, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-george-w-bush-decided-to-save-the-american-position-in-iraq-by/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) [Explore all 118 Bret Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded animal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bret Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-kicking-a-wounded-animal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-kicking-a-wounded-animal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/bret-stephens-3977_animal_when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-k_3064821.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Trump attacks the news media, he's kicking a wounded animal.” — Bret Stephens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bret Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When Trump attacks the news media,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-kicking-a-wounded-animal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-trump-attacks-the-news-media-he-s-kicking-a-wounded-animal/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```