NEW YORK, NY – June 6 2025 (DPI) – The Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal editorial board has straddled its support of Trump with a sprinkling of criticism, particularly on Ukraine. But overall the newspaper’s editorial board has adhered to a we’re-on-your-side strategy, in part to maintain some influence on the impetuous and unpredictable president.
But readers, if WSJ comment boards are any indication, are getting fed up with the easy-on-Trump treatment. The ratio of negative-to-positive comments has ballooned from about 65-35 to about 85-15., particularly relating to comments on Trump’s side activities in cryptocurrencies and his confounding support of Vladimir Putin.
Yesterday’s staff editorial gently points out that Trump’s peace overtures are being ignored by Putin, and his deal proposals to Iran are being rejected as well. The most popular reader comments are far tougher on Trump:
We have a weak and hesitant commander-in-chief whose only weapon seems to be social media.
The criticism of Biden by Trump over Ukraine is ironic.. Biden was weak on Ukraine but Donald is doing no better and it is getting down to the wire. It fits the current acronym TACO: all bluster no substance
Our president is acting like a clueless girlfriend: “But, I can change him!”
Last week, the WSJ published an article on FEMA’s director being unaware there was a hurricane season. The top recommended comment illustrates the level of reader frustration with Trump:
“FEMA head says he didn’t know that there is a hurricane season. Social security administrator says he had to google his job description and duties. The defense secretary says it’s ok to use commercial apps for top secret communications (and cannot name ASEAN countries). The DHS secretary doesn’t know what habeas corpus is. The attorney general says 250 million lives were saved just this year by blocking fentanyl traffic. The VP says Chinese peasants own us. Topping it all off, Trump says Biden is a robot. And in this world of the totally unqualified, DEI is a punishable offense. Can’t find a bigger irony if you searched for it.”