Opinion: Anonymous sources

Americans will always remember September 11 as a day of terror. It is fitting that journalist and author Bob Woodward wants Americans to think of terror when they see his new book “Fear: Trump in the White House,” released Sept. 11.

Woodward has been attacked by President Donald Trump and other senior White House officials for his use of anonymous sources. Most of these officials have written statements denouncing claims Woodward has made about them, leading President Trump to tweet about the possibility of this book constituting as libel.

These anonymous sources damage Woodward’s credibility and leave the public questioning the veracity of his book.

Woodward has been writing books about presidents for years. His books are considered a “rite of passage” for presidents, according to BBC News. However, Woodward’s new book about President Donald Trump has sparked a great deal of controversy. Trump tweeted that the book was “boring” and “false,” according to Fox News. However, Trump tweeted that Woodward did get one thing right – he is “tough as hell” on people.

Other books have been released in the past several months about President Trump. Fox News mentioned a few recent unflattering titles: Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” and Omarosa Manigault-Newman’s “Unhinged.” 

What about this particular book has stirred up so much controversy? Woodward’s book paints the administration as having a “nervous breakdown of executive power,” according to BBC News. Woodward claims that individual members of the White House Staff, including chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, hid documents from Trump so that he would not sign them.

Woodward’s book also claims that Trump’s advisers are repeatedly shocked by Trump’s lack of interest and knowledge of significant issues, according to a New York Times article. Several members of Trump’s staff, including White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Trump attorney John Dowd, have denied the statements quoted in Woodward’s book, according to Fox News. 

Unfortunately for Trump, even if Woodward’s statements are untrue, prosecuting Woodward for libel would be difficult if not impossible. Libel laws offer little protection to public figures from unsubstantiated statements. Trump has tweeted that Washington politicians should change libel laws, according to Fox News.

While we do not know who Woodward interviewed, we do know one key person he did not: Trump. Woodward claims he contacted members of the White House staff multiple times to try to get an interview with Trump, according to Fox News. However, in a telephone conversation with Woodward after the author had completed the book, Trump said he was unaware that Woodward wanted to interview him. 

According to the Washington Post, Trump has expressed frustration with counselor Kellyanne Conway for not bringing Woodward in to talk directly with him and suggested he could have “helped shape the book” if he had been given the chance to talk to Woodward.

In spite of the backlash, Woodward stands by his work. 

“I stand by my reporting,” Woodward said in a statement to the Washington Post.

Thus, the American public is left with a “he said, she said” situation. 

The public should not have to investigate the veracity of a reporter’s claims. Reporters are responsible for verifying the claims they make. In his book, Woodward presents quotes and details provided by anonymous sources, leaving readers to wonder who these sources are and what agendas they might have.

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