Donald Trump attacked the free press again during a speech in North Carolina on Monday.
On several occasions, he stated that CBS should lose its broadcast license simply because he didn’t like how the “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris was edited. This, of course, comes richly from Trump. There is no evidence that CBS surreptitiously edited the interview, but it did extensive evidence that pro-Trump networks – like Fox News – have tried to prop him up with dodgy editing or by filling a town hall event with MAGA fans.
Trump seems to want the endless stream of propaganda provided to authoritarian leaders of oppressed countries, such as Kim Jong Un. And we must take his threats seriously – because his ambitions may be more achievable than they seem.
In fact, they look eerily similar to the “24/7” source of fawning press that his friend Viktor Orbán told Republicans to create in 2022 – and the media environment that the Hungarian authoritarian leader has created for himself.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference two years ago, Orbán advised American right-wing parties to “have your own media,” a clear reference to the rigged media ecosystem he has created in Hungary. As The Guardian reported:
“We need to take back the institutions in Washington and Brussels. We must find allies in each other and coordinate the movements of our troops,” Orbán said. He told Republicans at the Balna conference center on the banks of the Danube that media influence was one of the keys to success. In Hungary, the prime minister and his allies have effective control over most media outlets in Hungary, including state television. “Have your own media. It is the only way to demonstrate the madness of the progressive left,” he said. “The problem is that the Western media has adapted to the left-wing position. Those who taught reporters at universities already had progressive left principles.”
Orbán then gave the Republicans some programming tips:
“Of course the Republican Party has its media allies, but they cannot compete with the mainstream liberal media. My friend Tucker Carlson is the only one putting himself out there. His show is the most popular. What does it mean? It means that programs like his must be broadcast day and night. Or as you say: 24/7.”
The Hungarian leader’s message seemed clear: “End the free press – as I did in my country – and you can rule indefinitely, just like me.”
Trump, who has praised Orbán’s dictatorial style, is already dreaming of such a crackdown.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
