The president doubled down on his claims that critical media coverage of him is "illegal."PoliticoBy Irie Sentner09/19/2025President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his claim that critical television coverage of him is “illegal” and pushed back on criticisms that his administration was taking actions that chill free speech.“When 97 percent of the stories are bad about a person, it’s no longer free speech,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, complaining about an apparent asymmetry between his victory in the 2024 election and his treatment by media organizations. It was not immediately clear what statistics or laws he was referencing.
As one commenter on Yahoo wrote... We got a consensus!
Trump’s comments came days after Disney indefinitely suspended the late night host Jimmy Kimmel after Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr suggested on a podcast that his agency may take regulatory action against ABC, which Disney owns. Kimmel drew ire over comments he made about Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and White House ally who was shot and killed last week.After Kimmel was suspended, Carr said “I don’t think this is the last shoe to drop” and suggested the FCC — an agency, overseen by Congress, designed to act independently from the president — may target other shows, including ABC’s “The View.”
Good bye the 1st!
- Trump's law suits:
- A $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times over articles/books he claims are false or defamatory
- A lawsuit against 60 Minutes (CBS) for allegedly deceptively editing an interview with Kamala Harris.
- He filed a suit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch/News Corp related to coverage about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Then we have Trump's efforts to limit the press access to government agencies:
- Removed The Associated Press from the White House press pool (impacting access to certain events like Air Force One and the Oval Office).
- Changed how White House publishes transcripts of remarks (making videos more common, removing transcripts).
- Sectary of Defense prohibits news media from having access to the Pentagon and the military/
The first thing a dictator does is control the media and control the message!
Where else have we seen these attacks on the media? Why it is Trump's bosom buddy Putin!
- Puppets (“Куклы”) Show on NTV: This was a satirical puppet show that mocked many politicians, including Putin.
- NTV Affair: In 2000–2001, the independent TV network NTV (which had been critical of Putin) was taken over by state-aligned interests (Gazprom).
- TV‑6: Was shut down in 2002, ostensibly for “bankruptcy” and financial issues, but critics argue that those financial pretexts masked political pressure.
- TVS: a follow‑on for TV‑6’s team, was shut down in 2003. Again, the government cited debts
- The Social Network (“The Social Network”) had an episode pulled after it included a spoof related to a dating‑site profile for Putin following his divorce announcement.
- ndependent Media & Channels Disappearing
- Dozhd (TV Rain),: an independent station, had to shut down in Russia (or curtail its operations) in March 2022 under stricter media laws related to the war in Ukraine.
Is this where Trump got the idea, is that what Trump talked about in the little "Tate to Tate talk has had with Putin? Did Putin call Trump a wimp for not going after the media?
The New York Times wrote in,
The tactics President Trump has embraced place the United States in awkward company as freedom of expression is declining in dozens of countries.By Damien CaveSeptember 19, 2025A comedian steps onto the stage and makes a joke or barbed comment that offends a powerful leader. Or maybe it’s a cartoon or television program that pushes buttons.Regardless, the targets and their ilk accuse the creators and their bosses of violating moral standards and national virtues. Then the state cracks down. The authorities issue threats, exert financial pressure and hint at shutdowns, as the humorists hire lawyers, executives cower and everyone learns the obvious: Nothing negative or embarrassing will be allowed about the government or its friends.Those who live in China, India, Iran, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela are familiar with this scenario. Each is governed with various levels of authoritarianism; all have seen comedians, broadcasters, journalists and cartoonists squeezed toward silence.Now, President Trump, with his threat on Thursday to revoke broadcasting licenses from networks with late-night hosts who make jokes or comments at his expense, has pushed the United States closer to that club. With lawsuits against media companies, cuts to public broadcasting, and threats to rescind licenses or deny mergers while rewarding friendlier outlets, Mr. Trump’s tactics fit a disturbing global pattern.
And now we here in America know government censorship!
“Controlling information and media is the one of the early and necessary steps of the authoritarian,” said Jennifer McCoy, a professor of political science at Georgia State University who studies the deterioration of democracy. “Then, repressing dissent and criticism, not just among the media, but among political opponents and citizens follows.”
CNBC wrote,
In an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Friday morning, he singled out George Soros, the 95-year-old Democratic megadonor and the founder of a group called the Open Society Foundations. Trump said that “we’re going to look into Soros” for possible violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law.[...]Trump had posted that Soros and his son, Alex, now the chair of the organization, should be charged under RICO “because of their support for Violent Protest, and much more, all throughout the United States of America.”In reply, the group wrote that it does not “support or fund violent protests. Allegations to the contrary are false, and the threats against our founder and chair are outrageous. Our mission is to advance human rights, justice, and democratic principles in the United States and around the world.”
Then we have the FCC’s head Brendan Carr saying according to Variety,
President Trump on Thursday offered his full support to Brendan Carr, the FCC chairman, and warned that broadcasters who criticize him could lose their licenses.
Congress has been mixed, Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul saying it is an attack om the First Amendment but other Republicans think in is the best thing since sliced bread. Senator Cynthia Lummis, the right-wing newspaper Washington Examiner wrote that,
Republicans are reexamining how far free expression should go in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a shift that underscores how the party’s positions are evolving in response to rising threats of political violence.Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) acknowledged the change, saying she no longer views the First Amendment as absolute.
The Republicans are all giddy over this prospect of stripping the Freedom of the Press!
Freedom if the Press -- Nyet.
Freedom of Religion -- Da.
When are the people going to realize Trump is following a Nazi playbook. It was alleged many years before entering politics that there was a copy of Mein Kampf on his nightstand. Of course, Trump is actively white-washing history so the people will be ignorant of his playbook.
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