Axel Springer CEO Urges Media Self-Criticism

Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner on Feb. 26, 2026, told Semafor’s "Restoring Trust in Media" summit that media must perform self-critical reflection after repeatedly misreading Donald Trump's success. He criticized predictable partisan coverage, urged curiosity-based, open-ended investigations, and declined to comment on a White House meeting with chief of staff Susie Wiles or the company's consortium bid for the Telegraph.