Why President Trump’s support for Sinclair Broadcasting is so concerning

[Commentary] President Donald Trump’s April 2 Sinclair tweet highlights the fact that in his administration, companies that favor the president seem to get treated one way, while those who appear to be neutral or even opposed to his administration risk getting publicly abused by him.  President Trump’s tweet in support of Sinclair dredges up this disconcerting history. But it’s also troubling on a deeper level. It’s becoming clear that corporations are increasingly coming to feel they either need to kowtow to the current president or potentially suffer the consequence of his disfavor on their bottom line. The more Trump rages at outlets whose coverage he dislikes while fawning over Sinclair, the more concerned we all need to be.

[Helaine Olen  serves on the advisory board of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.]