Only the ignorant or bad-faith actors would jump to the conclusion that Trump is about to bomb Iran’s mosques. Then again, most American journalists are strenuously ignorant about the outside world, and most of them are doing their best not to admit they’re acting in bad faith.

Most of the media support the Democrats. They hate Trump more than they love Iran — and, it appears, more than they love their fellow Americans. Not because it is the task of the media to cheer for reckless military adventures abroad, though the New York Times has supported plenty of those; but because of the media’s task at home. For liberal democracy to function, voters must be informed by a reasonably honest media. The pro-Democratic media don’t much love the voters, either. But the voters see the ethical collapse of the media.