A Week in Headlines

February 24-28: A White House Meltdown, Diplomacy and Defence – How the News Framed the Chaos

This week’s headlines (February 24–28) captured a dramatic arc of diplomacy, power moves, and an explosive fallout, with every UK broadcaster shaping the narrative in its own way. I look at how BBC News unpacked Trump’s meeting with Macron on Monday, positioning the US as an unpredictable force in transatlantic relations. Sky News on Tuesday took a sharper, more questioning approach to Starmer’s defence spending pledge, while by Wednesday, Channel 4 was digging deeper, treating a US-Ukraine economic deal with open skepticism. Thursday’s Channel 5 coverage focused on Starmer’s high-stakes meeting with Trump, emphasising strategic positioning. And then came Friday - a moment of pure political theatre - as ITV News spotlighted Trump’s furious showdown with Zelenskyy, complete with “red hot anger in the White House.” Throughout the episode, I break down how editorial choices shape our perception of these events: Did the BBC subtly frame Trump as a liability? Why did Sky lean into the political strategy behind Starmer’s defence pledge? And just how did ITV’s dramatic coverage of the Trump-Zelenskyy clash amplify its shock factor to audiences? This episode examines not only has what happened in the past week - but also how the media made us feel about it.