Mistrust of news continues to intensify across the country, and Washington, D.C., sits at the center of the crisis.
A new study from the News Literacy Project shows that Americans, especially younger audiences, increasingly view news as unreliable and disconnected from their lived experiences.
In a city where national political reporting shapes the daily environment, the gap between what audiences need and what national outlets deliver has widened sharply.
The study’s numbers are blunt.
A total of 84% of surveyed teens used negative words to describe the news, including “fake,” “false,” “lies,” “chaotic,” “distorted” and “boring.” One in three said journalists do well at “lying or deceiving.” Half believe reporters “make up quotes,” and six in 10 said journalists “take images out of context.” Only 30% believe reporters verify information before publishing, and 10% could not name a single thing journalists are doing well.
Against this backdrop, the president has intensified his public hostility toward journalists. Press briefings, gaggles and interviews often devolve into direct insults or attempts to delegitimize reporters.
When questioned aboard Air Force One about the Epstein files, he responded to a Bloomberg reporter with “quiet piggy.” When pressed about Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, he told an ABC correspondent “you are a terrible person.” He has mocked disabled reporters, targeted women journalists and singled out Black reporters for derision.
The administration also operates a website that labels outlets “biased” and categorizes journalists under headings such as “malpractice” and “left left wing lunacy.” Federal regulators have examined broadcast networks. Lawsuits pursued against major media companies have produced settlements even when the underlying claims lacked foundation.
The Importance of Trustworthy, Community News
On social media, the president posted criticism of television station ownership rules with messages such as “NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS” and “If anything, make them SMALLER!”
In Washington, where national politics often overshadows local challenges, community reporting remains essential. Residents rely on outlets that explain how policies, budgets, services, education issues and neighborhood decisions actually affect daily life.
The importance of community-rooted reporting was the focus of Anita Varma’s analysis for Giving Compass. Varma studied how people understand news, especially those who live with the consequences of policies and inequity. Her research revealed that trust breaks down when national coverage centers political spectacle rather than the realities people face.
“Solidarity,” she wrote in 2024, “is a commitment to people’s basic dignity that translates into action.”
Varma explained that reporters build trust when they frame stories around those who experience the issue directly instead of relying on official narratives shaped for political advantage. She noted that communities respond strongly to journalists who show up consistently, listen carefully and continue engagement long after headlines fade.
Varma also pointed out that distrust in media is not new among marginalized groups.
“Black people have for centuries called for more factual reporting that reflects their actual lives,” she writes, outlining a standard that community newsrooms have historically upheld.
Giving Compass raises questions that resonate sharply in Washington, where the future of credible reporting depends not only on newsroom practices but on investment and public support. The organization asked what role donors should play in sustaining “unbiased, fact-based reporting” and how funding could strengthen journalism that centers community needs rather than political agendas.
Local trust data shows that 51% of Americans identify local newspapers as their most trusted source of information. A total of 61% say transparency determines their trust in a news outlet, and 85% consider local newspapers essential to democracy.
The numbers illustrate what many D.C. residents already experience. People rely on reporting grounded in their neighborhoods rather than commentary from national outlets that often overlook the city’s day-to-day realities.
The News Literacy Project warns that without trusted reporting, misinformation spreads more easily and more quickly. The organization notes that teens who cannot identify credible sources are significantly more likely to believe manipulated content, conspiracy narratives and political disinformation.
Varma’s research pointed to a path forward that aligns with what local outlets in Washington already practice.
“Through solidarity practices,” she writes, “mainstream media has a chance to achieve what it has always claimed to contribute to society: truthful reporting based on what is happening on the ground, to real people, in real time and with real impact.”