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The Atlantic reports White House weighed arrests of journalists over leaks; DOJ denies

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, all left-leaning.

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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The Independent, The Daily Beast and Raw Story report on an Atlantic report that White House and Justice Department officials have discussed tactics to force journalists to reveal government sources, including arrests. Citing three people familiar with the matter, The Atlantic says Stephen Miller favored the approach while outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles pushed back. A DOJ spokesperson told The Atlantic the claim is “absolutely false.” A White House spokesperson said unauthorized leaks will “NEVER be tolerated” and those responsible “must be held accountable.” The Atlantic also reports that President Donald Trump urged the DOJ to pursue criminal leak investigations on national security grounds.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The Atlantic reported that White House and Justice Department officials discussed tactics, including arrests, to force journalists to reveal government sources.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left2Left1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast, Raw Story
    Left
    The Independent

  2. The Atlantic reported that Stephen Miller favored the approach and that Susie Wiles pushed back against it, citing three people familiar with the matter.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left1Left1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Left
    The Independent

  3. The Atlantic reported that Trump urged the Justice Department to pursue criminal leak investigations on national security grounds.

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left1Left1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Left
    The Independent

  4. A DOJ spokesperson told The Atlantic the report is “absolutely false.”

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left1Left1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Left
    The Independent

  5. A White House spokesperson said unauthorized leaks will “NEVER be tolerated” and that those responsible “must be held accountable.”

    One side only: the leftReported byFar Left1Left1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Left
    The Independent

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Questions the coverage answers differently, and who says what.

  • Did the White House and Justice Department discuss arresting journalists to force them to reveal sources?

    The Atlantic, citing three people familiar with the matter, reports such discussions and says Stephen Miller favored them. A DOJ spokesperson told The Atlantic this is “absolutely false.”

How each side tells it

Compare views

Left-side outlets report that The Atlantic says White House and Justice Department officials discussed arresting journalists to force them to reveal leak sources, and frame the report as an alarming threat to press freedom.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Headlines frame the report as an alarming threat to press freedom, with the Independent’s “hatching plan” treating the matter as a formed scheme and Far Left outlets adding alarm and “sickening” language.

    Stephen Miller and the DOJ Loaded verb“hatching plan”“Hatching” implies a secret scheme already formed, while the report describes discussions of tactics.More neutral: discussing optionsDisagree with this highlight? to throw journalists in jail over leaks: report
    The IndependentLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    No coverage yet

    No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left5

    Alarm bellsdisturbing assault on free speechSickeningthrowing journalists in jail

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right

    Has not covered this story.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    Alarm bellsMore neutral: Concerns

    “Alarm bells” signals alarm before the reader has the facts, though the report describes discussions.

    Alarm bells as journalists face arrest risks under Trump's new chief of staff: report

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    disturbing assault on free speechMore neutral: proposed limits on press reporting

    The phrase presents a reported proposal as an attack on free speech before any such action has been taken.

    …picture, incoming White House chief of staff Stephen Miller is eyeing a disturbing assault on free speech, according to a report.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    SickeningMore neutral: Proposed

    “Sickening” states a moral verdict on the proposal rather than describing it.

    Stephen Miller’s Plot for Sickening Crackdown on Free Speech Is Leaked

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    throwing journalists in jailMore neutral: arresting journalists

    The phrase is colloquial and implies punishment before any charge, while the report describes discussions of arrests.

    …Miller and the Department of Justice have reportedly been considering throwing journalists in jail to get them to reveal their sources when government intel is leaked,…

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

Show 1 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    hatching planMore neutral: discussing options

    “Hatching” implies a secret scheme already formed, while the report describes discussions of tactics.

    Stephen Miller and the DOJ hatching plan to throw journalists in jail over leaks: report

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • Miller’s reported support for arrests
  • Threat to press freedom and free speech
  • The Atlantic’s account of internal talks
See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The IndependentLeft

    Stephen Miller and the DOJ Loaded verb“hatching plan”“Hatching” implies a secret scheme already formed, while the report describes discussions of tactics.More neutral: discussing optionsDisagree with this highlight? to throw journalists in jail over leaks: report

    Miller reportedly insisted that it wouldn’t take long for journalists to give up their government sources

    Read at The Independent (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily BeastFar Left

    Stephen Miller’s Plot for Sensational language“Sickening”“Sickening” states a moral verdict on the proposal rather than describing it.More neutral: ProposedDisagree with this highlight? Crackdown on Free Speech Is Leaked

    With Susie Wiles out of the picture, incoming White House chief of staff Stephen Miller is eyeing a Sensational language“disturbing assault on free speech”The phrase presents a reported proposal as an attack on free speech before any such action has been taken.More neutral: proposed limits on press reportingDisagree with this highlight?, according to a report. …

    Read at The Daily Beast (opens in a new tab)
  • Raw StoryFar Left

    Sensational language“Alarm bells”“Alarm bells” signals alarm before the reader has the facts, though the report describes discussions.More neutral: ConcernsDisagree with this highlight? as journalists face arrest risks under Trump's new chief of staff: report

    Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s incoming chief of staff, has favored arresting journalists to force them to reveal their government sources, according to a new report. …

    Read at Raw Story (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

0 outlets

No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Raw Story, Nov 7, 8:40 AM EST

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Raw StoryFar LeftNov 7, 8:40 AM EST
  2. The Daily BeastFar LeftNov 7, 11:33 AM EST
  3. The IndependentLeftNov 8, 9:46 AM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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