WASHINGTON D.C. - Just steps from the White House, Can't Be Censored hosts Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong sat down with longtime Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd for an unfiltered conversation about politics, power, and the state of the media.
The discussion spans local news, global politics, and the shifting Canada–U.S. dynamic. Todd says every modern leader now plays to the cameras and Donald Trump mastered that game better than anyone. When asked what makes Trump so effective at commanding attention, Todd doesn't hesitate. "He knows exactly how to play the media," he says. "And honestly, he enjoys it." Todd continued, "He loves the press and wants to be loved by the press."
Todd speaks candidly about how American journalism lost public trust and what it will take to rebuild it. "We all helped create this mess," Todd says. "Executives, producers, politicians, everyone. The audience stopped trusting us because we stopped trusting them."
Commenting on the appointment of Bari Weiss as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, he said, "I think she's going to regret giving up her independence." He added, "I would not want to be at a legacy TV network, because they're not a growing place, they're shrinking."
Todd also weighs in on the growing tension between the Pentagon and the press. In recent months, several major outlets have given up their credentials rather than comply with new restrictions on reporting, while the Pentagon has forced long-standing media offices out of the building. Todd calls the developments a warning sign. "When you hear the kind of turnover that's happening there, it makes you wonder what's really going on behind the scenes," he says. "It's the kind of thing that would have set off alarms a decade ago. Now it barely makes a blip."
The full interview drops this week exclusively on Can't Be Censored. Subscribe on YouTube and download the app for early access.