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Stephanie Grisham reveals her fears for the press if Trump regains power

The former Trump press secretary also blasted MAGA Media as dishonest: "He is their money maker so facts be damned."

Author

Oliver Darcy
August 25, 2024

Stephanie Grisham speaks at the DNC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Stephanie Grisham wants the world to know the truth about her former boss.

In an unprecedented move, the former White House press secretary delivered a stinging speech at the Democratic National Convention this week, aimed squarely at Donald Trump.

We caught up with Grisham afterward for a candid conversation focused on the media. What does she fear Trump might do to the press if he were to regain power? What are her thoughts on outlets like Fox News, which she used to be a regular guest on? What does she think the news media can do better as it covers the 2024 race?

Below is our Q&A, lightly edited for clarity.

OLIVER: You gave a no-holds-barred speech aimed at Donald and Melania Trump at the DNC. Walk us through how you came to be on that stage. Was it your idea?

STEPHANIE: When I endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as part of Republicans for Harris, I said I would do whatever impactful events I could. When speaking at the convention was brought up I didn't hesitate.

OLIVER: Did you hear from any of your former colleagues in Trump-world after delivering your speech? What type of feedback did you receive?

STEPHANIE: I heard from no one directly as I am persona non grata, of course. But I was shown what many of them had to say online, being the keyboard warriors that they are. I was overwhelmed with the support I received from complete strangers, and sadly not surprised by the hate I received from people who actually know me and know I am telling the truth.

OLIVER: You used to be a regular guest on Fox News. What do you make of that network now? And what do you make of the broader right-wing media apparatus that defends Trump and attacks his critics, regardless of the facts?

STEPHANIE: I think there are still some great journalists at Fox, but by and large I think Fox News knows Trump is what keeps them in business right now. The same for Newsmax and other right-wing media. He is their money maker so facts be damned.

OLIVER: Do you think it's fair to refer to some of the coverage from Fox News and others in MAGA Media as propaganda?

STEPHANIE: I do. And I think they should also be called out for the information and facts that they plain omit. Their viewers deserve better.

OLIVER: There are a lot of worries about what a second Trump administration would bring with it. But as it relates to the news media, what are your fears?

STEPHANIE: I imagine he will kick them off the White House grounds completely, and only friendly media will be allowed in. That was a project that I was tasked with doing and successfully avoided my entire tenure as press secretary. I think media figures he doesn't like could be subject to lawsuits and much more dangerous situations with his supporters.

OLIVER: What's the one piece of advice you would give the news media as it covers Trump's 2024 bid. Is there an area you see for improvement?

STEPHANIE: Much like was pointed out with President Joe Biden, I have noticed a cognitive decline in Trump — slurring words, rambling more than usual, and trailing thoughts. I think that should be covered more. I also encourage networks and cable TV to break away from his "press conferences" once he starts spewing lies. They're just rewarding his bad behavior in the hopes for a few headlines — and he loves it.

OLIVER: Let's try to end on a positive note. What do you see that gives you hope?

STEPHANIE: I live in very rural Kansas now, and have countless Republicans tell me they don't like him and wish he'd go away. While they won't admit it publicly, I truly believe many R's will vote for the Harris/Walz ticket in the privacy of the polling booth and just not tell anyone.

Weekend Rundown

Edgar Bronfman Jr. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • Edgar Bronfman Jr.’s plans for Paramount Global "include partnering with a technology stalwart like Amazon or Apple to improve its streaming-TV business," Christopher Palmeri reported. [Bloomberg]

    • Alex Sherman reported Bronfman "is open" to having Shari Redstone "remain involved with the company." [CNBC]

    • Meanwhile, Lauren Thomas, Anne Steele, and Jessica Toonkel took a look at who Bronfman is. He "prides himself on helping steer companies through big transformations. He also likes to make bold bets." [WSJ]

  • Nicole Sperling reported on how Apple is "rethinking its movie strategy after a string of misses." Per Sperling, Apple nixed a theatrical release for "Wolfs," starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt: "There was a thought within the company to not risk a public disappointment should the movie not succeed at the box office." [NYT]

    • When you run out of ideas, go back to the old ones? Nellie Andreeva and Peter White reported that "Ted Lasso" is heading toward a fourth season at Apple TV+. [Deadline]

  • Meanwhile, after failing to renew its NBA deal, Warner Bros. Discovery is "rethinking its cable-network strategy," Joe Flint reported. Per Flint, the David Zaslav-led media conglomerate has "begun working on beefing up original programming" for TNT. [WSJ]

  • Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov was detained in France over an arrest warrant issued related to the lack of moderation on the social media app. [CNN]

    • Kara Swisher's point: "This is a very big deal and potentially dangerous territory… I suspect there is more here, but a troubling move nonetheless. It’s not improbable to ask if someone like [Mark Zuckerberg] — Meta owns [WhatsApp] — might not be safe traveling here too." [Threads]

  • Ryan Mac and Kate Conger published the first excerpt from their forthcoming book, "Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter." The excerpt is full of juicy details, including the fact that the infamous photo of former executive Esther Crawford sleeping on the company floor was staged. [NYT]

    • Speaking of Musk: Kylie Robinson reported that the billionaire advised X employees they will finally receive stock grants, but that those grants will be based on their anticipated future impact on the company. Staffers will have to submit a one-page document detailing their contributions to the company. [The Verge]

  • Apple whisperer Mark Gurman reported that the company is "planning to make Apple Intelligence a key part of the iPhone sales pitch in stores this fall and has started training retail employees on the features." [Threads]

  • Donald Trump said Sunday on Truth Social that he spoke to Fox News after Kamala Harris' speech because Bret Baier called him. "Bret Baier of FoxNews called me, I didn’t call him, just prior to the Kamala Convention speech, and asked me if I would like to critique her after she is finished. I agreed to do so!" [The Hill]

    • Speaking of the DNC, Harris’ Thursday nomination acceptance speech out-rated Trump’s. That means that every single night of the DNC out-rated the RNC. [CNN]

    • At the DNC, attendees loved the live tapings of "The Daily Show" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." For Jon Stewart's Thursday episode, the line was around the block with people trying to score a spot inside. The crowd included Stewart's longtime manager James “Baby Doll” Dixon and Paramount co-chief executive Chris McCarthy. Ratings for the episode were up 22% from the prior week.

  • Russia opened a criminal investigation into CNN correspondent Nick Patton Walsh. In an unbylined story posted to its website, CNN defended Walsh: "Our team was invited by the Ukrainian government, along with other international journalists, and escorted by the Ukrainian military to view territory it had recently occupied. This is protected activity in accordance with the rights afforded to journalists under the Geneva Convention and international law." [CNN]

Box Office Report

Deadpool, as seen in “Deadpool & Wolverine.” (Courtesy of Disney)

  • Not much of a surprise here: "Deadpool & Wolverine" topped the box office, clawing its way to $18.3 million in domestic receipts. [Variety]

  • "Alien: Romulus" nabbed $16.2 million at the domestic box office, declining 61% from its opening weekend. And "It Ends With Us" took home $11.9 million. [THR]

  • "Blink Twice" flopped, with only $7.3 million at the domestic box office in its debut weekend. Overall, Anthony D'Alessandro noted it was the third lowest box office weekend of the summer. [Deadline]

  • Some good news: "Inside Out 2" became the first animated movie ever to cross $1 billion overseas. [Deadline]