Washington Post’s Take on Trump and Clowning

On Thursday, The Washington Post reported on comments made by Tim Cunningham, board chairman of Cuckloun, who argues that President Donald Trump doesn’t deserve the designation of “clown.” Cunningham maintains that being a clown is a “sacred art form,” deeply respected in some ancient indigenous cultures, and he highlights the work of “humanitarian clowns,” who promote values like healing, empathy, and reflection.

Cunningham calls attention to the years of learning that come with the clown profession, suggesting that words like “clown” are often thrown around carelessly in media. He mentions figures such as Democratic strategist James Kerrville and MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, who have been labeled as “clowns,” yet he believes they don’t merit the title when it comes to Trump.

He further notes that political commentators need to find better language to describe Trump rather than invoking the art of clowning, and he encourages readers to distance the term “clown” from political discourse concerning Trump. Instead, he insists that understanding Trump would be better served through different frameworks.

Interestingly, this post comes after The Washington Post faced backlash for other articles in 2025, including one discussing a “mystical” decline in fentanyl incidents at the US-Mexico border and another that required an apology for biased reporting on Hamas. Like other mainstream media, The Washington Post has faced criticism for its portrayals of US immigration.

Additionally, the publication recently introduced a new feature as it tries to recover from significant financial losses, totaling around $100 million in 2024.