PHoto: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
I joined Times Radio’s Hugo Rifkind on Wednesday morning to evaluate Donald Trump’s bullying of US media; how he has been successful in getting money from some major outlets and obedience from others; and what could — and should — be done to resist.
I describe Trump’s tactics, dating back to his business days in the 1970s, of threatening outlets with lawsuits and getting settlements even though he has a weak case. I note the media tycoons who have pledged loyalty, from Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook to Jeff Bezos of the Washington Post.
Trump is the equivalent of a Mafia boss who demands protection money. Do you pay up and you have to see the guy the next month, demanding more money, or do you finally say, “Enough is enough”?
I explain how Trump is unprecedented, surpassing Richard Nixon in thuggishness, because “his play is to break the US system”.
I recall how Trump was banned from Twitter because of his incitement to violence after the Capital Attack of 2021, but how his rhetoric — and that of others — is unchecked.
What can be done?
Think about the pushback of those lawyers who did not concede to the pressure. Think about the pushback from individual members of Congress. Think about activists who continue to campaign for civil rights.
And think about the foreign leaders like Canada’s Mark Carney.
Elbows up.
