When the press amplified false claims about Iraq, it failed its highest duty — and fueled a war

This article is part of The Poynter 50, a series reflecting on 50 moments and people that shaped journalism over the past half-century — and continue to influence its future. As Poynter celebrates its 50th anniversary, we examine how the media landscape has evolved and what it means for the next era of news.

The president of the United States of America climbs out of the cockpit of a Navy fixed-wing airplane that just dramatically landed on an aircraft carrier, tucks his helmet jauntily under one arm and swaggers off across the deck, saluting the troops along the way. He has the bow-legged gait of a “Top Gun” pilot, thanks to his harness and flight suit, as he proudly walks beneath a larger-than-life banner proclaiming “Mission Accomplished.” It has the production value of a blockbuster action movie, except this is real life — sort of.

It was May 1, 2003, and President George W. Bush, whose own military record was the subject of long-standing questions, was the main character in a staged media event falsely proclaiming the end of the Iraq War.