June 25, 2019

People Are Finally Getting Bored by Trump

The incredible shrinking president.

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Forget the polls. What really matters is that Donald Trump’s ratings are down:

The shock factor around President Trump’s unplanned announcements, staff departures, taunting tweets and erratic behavior is wearing off, and media companies are scrambling to find their next big moneymaker…. Digital demand for Trump-related content (number of article views compared to number of articles written) has dropped 29% between the first 6 months of the Trump presidency and the most recent 6 months, according to data from traffic analytics company Parse.ly.

I’ve always figured this would happen. Americans get bored with their TV gossip phenoms pretty quickly, and the faster they go up the faster they come down. Trump rode TV to victory, and now he’s dealing with the inevitable ratings decline.

But who knows? Maybe he can reinvent himself. Or maybe he can find a new topic to mesmerize the viewing public. Or maybe he can start a war.

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Thank you!

We didn't know what to expect when we told you we needed to raise $400,000 before our fiscal year closed on June 30, and we're thrilled to report that our incredible community of readers contributed some $415,000 to help us keep charging as hard as we can during this crazy year.

You just sent an incredible message: that quality journalism doesn't have to answer to advertisers, billionaires, or hedge funds; that newsrooms can eke out an existence thanks primarily to the generosity of its readers. That's so powerful. Especially during what's been called a "media extinction event" when those looking to make a profit from the news pull back, the Mother Jones community steps in.

The months and years ahead won't be easy. Far from it. But there's no one we'd rather face the big challenges with than you, our committed and passionate readers, and our team of fearless reporters who show up every day.

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