Read the NYT’s postelection memo urging an ‘unflinching’ approach to intimidation

• New York Times leaders urged the newsroom to be “unflinching” in its coverage after Trump’s election win.
• Trump has vowed to go after the media if he won a second term.
• The Times has faced criticism for not being tough enough on Trump.

The New York Times urged its newsroom on Wednesday to be open-minded, fair, and “unflinching” in its coverage after former President Donald Trump’s stunning election victory.

“We are likely entering a period of change and uncertainty beyond anything America has experienced in our lifetimes,” newsroom leaders wrote in a memo to staff that Business Insider obtained.

The memo comes as news organizations across the US ready for a second Trump presidency. Trump has called the media an enemy and pledged to go after certain news organizations if he won a second term. Americans’ trust in the media is at an all-time low, and his win has given fuel to those who question the relevance of mainstream news organizations.

The Times, in particular, has faced backlash in recent months from vocal critics and readers who feel the influential paper hasn’t been loud enough in portraying the stakes of a Trump reelection.

Here’s the full memo to the Times newsroom from Executive Editor Joe Kahn and Managing Editors Carolyn Ryan and Marc Lacey:

Colleagues,

Thank you to all of you who worked throughout the night to deliver the most authoritative election coverage in the industry. From the dozens of reporters filing on-the-ground updates from across the country, to the singular visual journalism, dynamic homescreen experience and truly astounding work of our elections graphics, data and analytics teams, we helped our readers make sense of the returns in real time. It was an extraordinary display of modern digital journalism at its best with hundreds of people contributing across so many areas of coverage around the United States and the world.

As Lisa Lerer wrote in our report overnight, Donald Trump asked voters for the power to pursue his agenda — to settle scores and enact a disruptive program on immigration, the economy, the federal bureaucracy and the judicial system. And he received a “permission slip” in the form of a stronger electoral mandate than he received in his first victory in 2016.

As our banner headline says, Trump has stormed back to power. A little more than half of the country feels thrilled and vindicated. Many of the rest feel unsettled and afraid. We are likely entering a period of change and uncertainty beyond anything America has experienced in our lifetimes.

Change and uncertainty mean people need The New York Times to be at its best. They will want us to break news, to dig deeply, and to provide sober analysis and guidance. They will need us to be unflinching in the face of intimidation, but also open minded and fair.

We have every confidence that this newsroom will deliver. We always deliver in times when great journalism matters. And it matters greatly now, to this country and the world.

— Joe, Marc and Carolyn