Trump's White House Seeks to Tell Media Who to Hire and Fire. The President's latest move makes it clear that control of the media is now a central objective of his second presidency.
In a remarkable span of days, the Trump administration has allowed New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani to reaffirm his assessment that the president is indeed a fascist, while hosting Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, praising him for his brutal actions. When ABC News reporter Mary Bruce asked Trump about Khashoggi's murder and the reversal of releasing the Epstein files, she was reprimanded, called "insubordinate" and a "terrible person", and even recommended that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr revoke ABC's broadcast license.
The White House is also exerting pressure on major journalistic institutions to place ideological loyalists into key media roles while pushing out dissenting voices. Vice President JD Vance has revealed that he wants Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post, to hand over control of his newsroom to Matthew Boyle, an editor at the conservative media outlet Breitbart.
Boyle's appointment would not only be a victory for Trump's MAGA movement but also a significant blow to independent journalism. Vance publicly flattered Boyle and even recommended him to Bezos, flaunting the fact that the far-right Breitbart staffer is not a marginal voice. This move demonstrates the White House's control over media outlets from within.
The President has long referred to the press as the "enemy of the people", a phrase with a brutal history used by authoritarians like Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong. Trump's contempt for a free, independent press tells us where his loyalties lie – and what a bleak future could hold.
This push towards institutional capture is not limited to opinion pages but also extends to newsrooms themselves. Institutional control through ownership, power over personnel and regulatory instruments are defining characteristics of fascism.
The White House's efforts to restructure mainstream media from the inside out have become clear: they're seeking to exert control over mass media by influencing ownership, personnel, and regulatory instruments. The President's disdain for a free press is a warning sign of an impending crisis.
As Bezos' company undergoes significant changes, it remains uncertain whether his recommendation will be accepted. Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly pushing for CNN's acquisition by Paramount Skydance, which would undoubtedly thrill him.
In a remarkable span of days, the Trump administration has allowed New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani to reaffirm his assessment that the president is indeed a fascist, while hosting Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, praising him for his brutal actions. When ABC News reporter Mary Bruce asked Trump about Khashoggi's murder and the reversal of releasing the Epstein files, she was reprimanded, called "insubordinate" and a "terrible person", and even recommended that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr revoke ABC's broadcast license.
The White House is also exerting pressure on major journalistic institutions to place ideological loyalists into key media roles while pushing out dissenting voices. Vice President JD Vance has revealed that he wants Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post, to hand over control of his newsroom to Matthew Boyle, an editor at the conservative media outlet Breitbart.
Boyle's appointment would not only be a victory for Trump's MAGA movement but also a significant blow to independent journalism. Vance publicly flattered Boyle and even recommended him to Bezos, flaunting the fact that the far-right Breitbart staffer is not a marginal voice. This move demonstrates the White House's control over media outlets from within.
The President has long referred to the press as the "enemy of the people", a phrase with a brutal history used by authoritarians like Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong. Trump's contempt for a free, independent press tells us where his loyalties lie – and what a bleak future could hold.
This push towards institutional capture is not limited to opinion pages but also extends to newsrooms themselves. Institutional control through ownership, power over personnel and regulatory instruments are defining characteristics of fascism.
The White House's efforts to restructure mainstream media from the inside out have become clear: they're seeking to exert control over mass media by influencing ownership, personnel, and regulatory instruments. The President's disdain for a free press is a warning sign of an impending crisis.
As Bezos' company undergoes significant changes, it remains uncertain whether his recommendation will be accepted. Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly pushing for CNN's acquisition by Paramount Skydance, which would undoubtedly thrill him.
This is getting crazy 
I mean, come on, the White House is literally trying to control who gets hired and fired at major news outlets? It's like they think journalism is some kind of democracy where they can just dictate who gets a spot. And now Bezos is being pressured into handing over control to this guy from Breitbart... it's like they're trying to choke out all dissenting voices. Newsflash: if you're not willing to toe the line, someone else will fill your seat and say what Trump wants to hear 
The President's whole "enemy of the people" thing is just a nice way of saying he doesn't trust anyone who won't regurgitate his talking points 
And let's be real, if Bezos goes along with this, CNN getting swallowed up by Paramount Skydance would be a huge blow to independent journalism. It's like they're trying to strangle the press from all sides 
it's like they want to shape public opinion to fit their own agenda. and now they're targeting Jeff Bezos' The Washington Post too?! that would be a huge blow to independent journalism 
she deserves so much better than to be called "insubordinate" and a "terrible person". this is seriously scary stuff, folks. if trump gets his way, we'll have no free press left. and can we talk about how crazy it is that he's praising saudi prince mohammed bin salman for being brutal? like, isn't that the opposite of what we're supposed to be fighting against over here? 
and yeah trump's always been bad at press but this is taking it to a whole new level 
his whole fascist thing has got everyone talking though idk much about history but isn't that phrase from, like ancient times or something ? 
. what's next?
. I mean, come on, they're already trashing ABC News reporter Mary Bruce for asking tough questions 
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. And let's not forget that this is just the tip of the iceberg - they're also trying to get CNN acquired by Paramount Skydance 
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. We need a free press to hold power accountable, not be controlled by it 
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. It seems like the White House is trying to control every aspect of the media landscape, from who gets hired and fired to what they're allowed to report on. This isn't just a case of "tough love" or "strong leadership," it's a clear attempt to silence dissenting voices and push their own agenda.
. We need a free and independent press to hold those in power accountable, not to do their bidding. If we let this happen, we risk losing our ability to make informed decisions about the country we live in. It's time for some real checks and balances on this White House's overreach 
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We're already living in a world where journalists are being bullied and intimidated into silence, and now we have a President who thinks he can just shut down news outlets and control what we can say? It's terrifying 
we gotta keep asking questions, seeking truth, and holding people in power accountable 