Trump watchdog reporting wins Pulitzer Prize even amid lawsuit
Pulitzer Prize awarded for reporting on Trump’s conflicts of interest and coverage of federal government restructuring At a glance, see the background behind the NYT and WP wins, as well as changes in the media landscape
The Pulitzer Prize Board awarded the Pulitzer Prize to a New York Times report that tracked allegations of conflicts of interest involving U.S. President Donald Trump, and to a Washington Post report that covered the restructuring of the federal government. The awards were announced on the 4th local time.
This result drew attention as it came while President Trump was pursuing a lawsuit against the board, claiming that the 2018 Pulitzer Prize decision was unjust. The NYT uncovered through a series of reports allegations that Trump used his power to benefit his family and close associates, while the WP was selected as the winner in the public service category for its focused coverage of the impact on citizens of the Trump administration's reorganization of federal agencies.
Marjorie Miller, executive director of the Pulitzer Prize Board, said this year's significance is even greater because the media environment has become more difficult due to restrictions on White House and Pentagon coverage and lawsuits against the press. This year's Pulitzer Prize journalism categories also announced winners in several divisions, including breaking news, commentary, short feature, and local reporting.