I wouldn’t be so sure about the media outlets being quiet. In any other era there would be a Pulitzer prize waiting for the MSM reporter who uncovered evidence of cheating on the scale we’ve seen in 2020, yet they have universally remained mum.
Something like this would be so outrageous a thing to happen. The worlds superpower undertakes a covert military mission in one of the largest, most advanced Western European countries, hostile fire is exchanged and five US servicemen killed?
No way. Impossible.