I'll leave Trump out of the conversation and merely make the observation that for as long as I remember, going back decades, both local and national media have increasingly exaggerated weather events. I remember vividly the first time I became aware of this. It was back in the mid 1970s. I was visiting my parents' house and my dad had just bought a weather radio, something that was new-fangled at the time. It was summertime, and like most summer afternoons in the Midwest, there was a chance of thunderstorms. Dad told me, "wait until you hear this." He turned on the radio, and the forecast started out like every other summer forecast I'd ever heard: "chance of thunderstorms this afternoon."
But then it continued, and I started to listen to the most ridiculous, apocalyptic forecast I'd ever heard: "When threatening weather arrives, immediately seek shelter. Do not seek shelter under a tree because lightning strikes can kill. Heavy winds can knock over trees and power lines. Do not go near downed power lines, because they can kill."
It continued in this manner for quite some time.
Of course, like many things the media puts out, they can defend themselves because none of what they said was untrue. However, it was the perspective that had so radically changed. Suddenly, on this weather radio, a friendly little afternoon thundershower had become a killer storm, something they seemed to want me to worry about. From this new perspective we began to get stories about how you could slip in the bathtub, hit your head, and become permanently disabled; the same thing could happen if you slipped and fell down stairs.
Every facet of life was now a reason to worry.
Which brings me full circle to California weather reporting where every rain brings predictions of catastrophe, and sure enough, someone, somewhere usually has some misfortune which will prove the forecast "correct." Except that, most of the time, it is just that one person who had the misfortune, and the rest of the area really didn't experience anything out of the ordinary.
So, when I listen to the radio and TV in 2017, what I now hear is, "Bend over; grab your ankles, crane your neck all the way forward, and kiss your rear end goodbye."
I have a tough time taking seriously people who say things like this, and therefore no longer listen to radio or TV news.