In her Times Insider column published the same day as the Witkoff article, Kamin offered what reads like a “cover yourself” narrative. This is less reporting than narrative maintenance, designed to serve a readership eager to see Trump’s allies portrayed as corrupt. The Witkoff case is only the latest example of what has become the Times’ trademark approach: shoot first, fact-check later. It also highlights Kamin’s admission that her mandate was to “find conflicts” in Trump’s orbit — proof of a pre-determined narrative rather than honest reporting. The difference is that the Times has chosen to portray it as a scandal only when Republicans are involved.