OPINION | SECTION
trump's attack on the media and news outlets: labeling News Networks an Enemy of his presidency
“Trump’s war on news media outlets test the strength of the First Amendment and Freedom of Speech—paving the way for authoritarianism.”
By Cheryl R. Gage-Green | July 9, 2025
If Trump and his administration are successful in detonating the media and the free press—following will be the collapse of truthful reporting, democracy weakened and unchecked power will rise. In the end, ushering in a new era of ignorance, fear, repression, and control by a dictator.
The blatant and unashamedly disregard and often unsubstantiated attacks on the media and the free press is an afront to the values embedded in the American Constitution. The media through its various forms of communication delivers information and breaking news to the citizens of this country to keep them informed. That information and news comes in the form of the internet, radio, television, and the print media such as magazines, newspapers and leaflets.
The “Free Press,” although similar to the media—act to publish the news absent any form of censorship by the government or any other entity attempting to prevent its production. It is a right guaranteeing the public unabashed access to news and opinions by a diverse group of people. It’s a Constitutional guarantee that is afforded not only to American citizens but foreigners as well to operate independently and to freely disperse and receive news and opinions regardless of their status as citizens without interference.
By destroying America’s media and the free press, President Trump will be closer to what appears to be his goal of becoming America’s first dictator and king. As such, the president will be untouchable and free to do as he please in a country that has sustained over 300 years of democratic freedom.
Trump, in advancing his diatribe against the media, in particular, the perceived “woke” news agencies—signed an executive order to sever funding for two of the largest [free] broadcasters in the United States—the National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Services (PBS).
Trump said of one of the premier news agency’s in the U.S.—MSNBC, “This whole corrupt operation is nothing more than an illegal arm of the Democrat Party.” He also said, “They should be forced to pay vast sums of money for the damage they’ve done to our Country. Fake News is an UNFORGIVABLE SIN!”
Both, PBS and NPR launched in the 1970’s. The broadcasters missions are to provide programming for noncommercial and educational television and radio stations throughout the U.S. Trump and his minions are trying to upending their existence by citing the broadcasters as biased in their reporting and having a woke agenda.
Especially, having an agenda that is unfriendly towards his administration. In so doing, Trump ordered the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to halt all direct federal funding to both media groups, to the extent allowed under the law.
This measure to cut funding will not go unchallenged. Paula Kreger, PBS’s CEO said during an Axios News Shapers event in Washington, D.C., “She is prepared to ‘vigorously’ defend the independent broadcaster’s board of directors and NPR is also ready to defend its editorial integrity according to “Axios News.”
Trump, as President of the United States, ushered in a perilous era by enforcing compliance among citizens. His ‘America First’ nationalism initiatives and alignment with the new religious order by the Heritage Foundation and its Project 25, pose a great threat to traditional values, individual freedoms, and the direct future of the nation and world.
However, it appears some in the national media seem to be acquiescing to the Trump administration and its demands to curtail or get rid of its opposition to his administration and its mission—at least the opinion section(s) within their respective media vehicles. The right-wing aggressive propaganda machine and Trump’s unprecedented influence on the movers and shakers in the news media appears to have altered the way “some” news is reported for fear of retaliation by Trump and his wealthy comrades.
In an interview on MSNBC, a powerful Republican, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, said “We have entered a time and place where I have not been before. I’m often extremely anxious to use my voice where the threat of retaliation is real.” For many of the republicans in the wake of the aggressive January 6 attack on the capital are frightened. The Republican Party has been captured and converted into Trumpism, i.e. the Trump Maga Party.
The threat of political targeting and actual violence is real. Despite some who don’t want to believe we are in a new area of politics and leadership in America, the facts are quite evident. For example, look at what happened to Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives husband, who was violently attacked with a hammer.
The perpetrator said he was looking for Nancy because of her political stance in opposition to Trump. Unable to find Rep. Pelosi, he took his ire out on her husband in her absence. Then you have the Neo-Nazi who rammed his car into protestors at a rally in Charlottesville, VA, killing a 32 year old paralegal and civil rights activist, due to the rhetoric of the President Donald J. Trump.
(This is not to say Donald Trump had anything to do with these violent altercations. Only to highlight the fact that people are motivated by inflammatory rhetoric to act in a violent manner. The culpability for the incursion is theirs alone.)
Unfortunately, many republicans know Trump’s bullying of the media and the free press is wrong but they are afraid to buck the Trump White House, or any of his demands. This is regardless of how immoral or illegal Trump’s demands are, for fear of being primaried or worse. …
Trump, one man, has paralyzed the nation by holding legislators, the media, the Supreme Court, and the voices of the people hostage to his utterly crass behavior: showing no understanding of what is proper or acceptable by opting for what’s rude, insensitive and beneficial to him and his clan of billionaires.
The Trump-led administration wants the news media to go black and silent permanently—an attempt to bury the truth, dodge accountability, and extinguish dissent. Silencing the press is their path to unchecked control over the national narrative and erase dissenting voices of the people.
Trump’s treats to cut funding for NPR and the PBS public media organizations is horrific and will have a deleterious effect on the news media and society as a whole. Both broadcasting vehicles provide valuable and informative “free” nonpartisan news and artistic programming across America aimed at a cross-section people. The purposed cuts will be deep—amounting to approximately $1.1 billion for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
It is a strategy that some believe is to prevent any interference with future elections namely, the 2026 midterm and the 2028 presidential elections. By eliminating these two independent voices, he and the republicans hope to secure big wins by silencing negative commentary directed at Trump and republican candidates seeking key positions. It’s a move that will undoubtably cripple both news organizations in reporting unbiased facts about both parties equally to the people.
Why? Because they (PBS and NPR) are considered by the Trump administration to be “Woke” vehicles that push extreme liberal rhetoric and unproven theories like the environmental crisis, and fake news related to President Donald Trump and those aligned with his administration. For more information on the cuts go to http: www.npr.org/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366040/npr-federal-funding-katherne-maher
Apparently, Trump’s administration and the Fox News outcry and criticism of “the liberal mainstream media has worked in the light of the above actions and others. Several newspapers have consciously tone-downed or eliminated their opinion section(s): citing that they will now focus on fact-based stories only. Trump also hired several of Fox News personnel—placing them in senior positions in his administration. (All appearing to be a quid quo pro initiative design to work on behalf of Trump and his administration.)
Rather than Fox News reporting the news as it relates to Trump and his administration: Good or bad. They seem to opt for only reporting the good, helping to shape and elevate Trump’s presidency and his image among his supporters to monumental and iconic proportions—casting him as a beacon of hope for all mankind.
So, if you are looking to some of these national media outlets for “broad-based and objective opinions on a host of storylines and news events, especially those covering the Trump administration—don’t hold your breath. As a result of swift policy changes, there is a limit on what “opinionated journalist” can write or air on the nightly news feed by some in the media. [There goes the “First Amendment Rights”—by way of Trumpian threats and suppression of the people voices and the free press.]
The press is the last bastion of hope for safeguarding a free and diverse society of civilized people. It’s what separates America from a dictatorial country where Kings and monarchs rule and the people are forced to acquiesce to the demands of tyrants. It is where the citizens live under deplorable conditions, and striped of all their protections. Leaving their only purpose in life to that of making life better for the elites—the Trump dynasty, billionaires, and techno-oligarchs.
As a strong possibility—seen in other authoritarian regimes—the news media may be forced to move underground. Journalists could be driven to report the news in secrecy; covertly informing the public of their findings out of fear of being caught, silenced, or punished for speaking truth to power.
news Update
On June 12, 2025, The House of Representatives voted to defund public radio. Some organizations have “online petitions to collect public opinions.” To participate, go online and search for “petition to save public radio. This matter requires immediate attention. The decision is now being reviewed by the Senate. Public radio provides essential news, music, and emergency broadcast services to communities across the nation.
NEWS BREAK: Effective on Friday, July 18, 2025, the House of Representatives approved a package cutting funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). They, CPB, distribute federal funding to public media outlets like PBS and NPR. The agencies must now look for donations and corporate funding to continue their efforts to bring life saving, educational, and entertainment to the American people. The cuts came as part of a bigger bill that also reduced foreign aid.
For immediate release
Effective August 1, 2025: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to shut down amid funding cuts. This is a blow to local media and the community they serve.
The catastrophic move by the Trump administration to cut funding to the CPB will cause irreparable harm to local TV and radio stations that relied on grants for over six decades. The cuts were severe—amounting to $9 billion in losses. For more on the CPB shut down go to: https://cpb.org