Trump has been shown the door. But The Daily Beast’s mission is anything but closed.
The Beast opposed Trumpism back when it was just a wad of conspiracy theories for the mirrored bathroom crowd on Fifth Avenue. When other outlets tried to normalize Trump, we were early to show how he was a vessel for the ambitions of the neo-fascist right—and foreign intelligence agencies. Major components of Robert Mueller’s indictments, and his final report, appeared first in The Daily Beast. We uncovered the shady campaign finance scheme that led prosecutors to indict Rudy Giuliani’s cronies, and unmasked key players in the plot that got the president impeached. And when the pandemic hit America in March, we showed, over and over again, the deadly inadequacy of Team Trump’s response.
The specter of that response will continue to haunt America, long after Trump slinks off to Mar-a-Lago. So we’ll continue to shine a light on our government as it wrestles with the virus, struggles to prop up the economy, and tries to keep together its fragile coalition. We’ll keep on digging for answers and telling hard truths. Because The Beast has always been about standing up to the powerful, no matter who’s in power.
We’ve always called out grifters and bullies and bad actors, regardless of their political affiliation. Our newer readers may not recall, but The Beast aggressively covered the Obama-Biden administration, especially on national security. That’ll continue during a Biden-Harris administration, but on an even broader array of issues. We’ll hold the Biden team accountable to its promises to combat climate change, turn the tide on institutional racism, and get this virus under control without tanking American business. We’ll follow the money as it passes into Democrats’ pockets. We’ll document how long the Blue Dogs and Democratic Socialists and Never-Trumpers can work together (judging by the early results, about five more minutes). And while we wish the new president the best in his goal on reuniting the country, there’s no way for that healing to begin unless we squarely face Team Trump’s rampant criminality, pervasive corruption, and blatant attacks on our democracy. It’s going to take a whole of reporting to get it done.
So if you enjoy our coverage, and understand the value of our independent reporting, please consider becoming a Beast Inside member. Memberships allow our newsroom to bring you the stories that matter, and in a time like this, that has truly never meant more.
—Noah Shachtman, Editor-in-Chief