Democracy depends on a free and
independent press, which is why all tyrants try to squelch it. They use seven techniques
that, worryingly, President-elect Donald Trump already employs.
1. Berate the media. Shortly
after the election, Trump summoned two-dozen TV news anchors and executives to
the twenty-fifth floor of Trump Tower to berate them for their reporting about
him during the election. For twenty minutes he railed at what he called their “outrageous” and “dishonest” coverage. According
to an attendee, “Trump kept saying, ‘we’re in a
room of liars, the deceitful dishonest media who got it all wrong,’” and he called
CNN a “network of liars.” He accused NBC of using unflattering pictures of him,
demanding to know why they didn’t use “nicer” pictures.
Another person who attended the
meeting said Trump “truly doesn’t seem to understand the First Amendment. He
thinks we are supposed to say what he says and that’s it.”
2. Blacklist critical media. During the campaign, Trump blacklisted news outlets whose coverage
he didn’t approve of. In June he pulled The Washington Post’s credentials. “Based
on the incredibly inaccurate coverage and reporting of the record setting Trump
campaign, we are hereby revoking the press credentials of the phony and
dishonest Washington Post,” read a post on Trump’s Facebook page.
After the election Trump agreed to meet with the New York Times and then suddenly
cancelled the meeting when he didn’t like the terms, tweeting “Perhaps a new meeting will be set up with the @nytimes. In the
meantime they continue to cover me inaccurately and with a nasty tone!” (He reversed
himself again and met with the Times.)
3. Turn the public against the media. Trump refers to journalists as “lying,” “dishonest,”
“disgusting” and “scum.” Referring to the journalists at his rallies, Trump
said, “I hate some of these people,” adding (presumably in
response to allegations of Vladimir Putin’s treatment of dissident journalists)
“but I’d never kill ‘em.“
He questions the press’s motives,
claiming, for example, that The Washington
Post wrote negative things about him because its publisher, Jeffrey Bezos, a
founder of Amazon, “thinks I would go after him for antitrust.” When the New York Times
wrote that his transition team was in disarray, Trump tweeted that the
newspaper was "just upset that they
looked like fools in their coverage of me” during the presidential
campaign.
4. Condemn satirical or critical comments. Trump continues to condemn the coverage he’s received from NBC’s
“Saturday Night Live.” In response to Alex Baldwin’s recent portrayal of him as
overwhelmed by the prospect of being president, Trump tweeted that it was a
“totally one-sided, biased show – nothing funny at all. Equal time for
us?”
When Brandon Victor Dixon, the actor who plays
Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” read from the stage a
message to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who was in the audience –
expressing fears about the pending Trump administration for the “diverse group
of men and women of different colors, creeds and orientations” on the cast –
Trump tweeted that Pence had been “harassed,” and insisted that the cast and
producers of the show, “which I hear is highly overrated,” apologize.
5. Threaten the media directly. Trump
said he plans to change libel laws in the United States so that he can have an
easier time suing news organizations. “One of the things I’m going to do if I win
… I’m going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and
horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.”
During the campaign, Trump
specifically threatened to sue the Times for libel in response to an
article that featured two women accusing him of touching them inappropriately
years ago. Trump claimed the allegations were false, and his lawyer demanded
that the newspaper retract the story and issue an apology. Trump also threatened
legal action after the Times
published and wrote about part of his 1995 tax return.
6. Limit media access. Trump
hasn’t had a news conference since July. He has blocked the media from
traveling with him, or even knowing whom he’s meeting with. His phone call with
Vladimir Putin, which occurred shortly after the election, was first reported
by the Kremlin.
This is highly unusual. In 2000, President-elect
George W. Bush called a press conference three days after the Supreme Court
determined the outcome of the election. In 2008, President-elect Obama called
one three days after being elected.
7. Bypass the media and communicate with the public directly. The American public typically learns what Trump thinks through
his tweets. Shortly after the election, Trump also released a video message outlining some of the executive actions he plans to
take on his first day in office.
Aids say Trump has also expressed interest in continuing to hold the
large rallies that became a staple of his candidacy. They say he likes the
instant gratification and adulation that the cheering crowds provide.
The word “media” comes from
“intermediate” between newsmakers and the public. Responsible media hold the
powerful accountable by asking them hard questions and reporting on what they
do. Apparently Trump wants to eliminate such intermediaries.
Historically, these seven
techniques have been used by demagogues to erode the freedom and independence of the press. Even
before he’s sworn in, Trump seems intent on doing exactly this.
