Imagine a circus clown who performs tricks, convincing the audience to doubt what they see. This is the modern authoritarian’s relationship with the media–where reality itself becomes negotiable, and truth vanishes behind a smokescreen of diversion and manufactured outrage. In this relentless war on truth, the audience becomes both spectator and unwitting participant, with many applauding as democracy silently burns.
The Showman's Playbook: Controlling the Narrative
Next, let’s imagine Donald Trump as the headline act and the government as his circus. But Trump isn’t just a politician. Much like P.T. Barnum, he’s a master showman who understands media dynamics better than most journalists. His technique? Control the narrative by controlling attention itself.
Consider this familiar pattern:
- A major scandal breaks.
- Trump makes an inflammatory statement about an unrelated issue.
- The media chases the new controversy.
- The original scandal loses momentum.
- Repeat
There are many examples of this playbook in action. In July 2017, when news broke about Donald Trump Jr.’s Trump Tower meeting with Russians, Trump suddenly announced a transgender military ban on Twitter, shifting media coverage. Later, as the Russia investigation intensified, Trump ignited controversy about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, diverting attention yet again.
Fast forward to January 2025, when Trump was about to be sentenced for criminal convictions involving hush money payments. Instead of addressing the charges, he stirred up an international media frenzy by suddenly proposing to annex Greenland, reclaim the Panama Canal, and integrate Canada into the U.S. These shocking statements conveniently overshadowed his legal troubles.
But this time, Trump isn’t running the spectacle alone.
Enter Elon Musk: The Chaos Engine
At 78, Trump no longer has the stamina to “flood the zone” as relentlessly as before. That’s where Elon Musk comes in. Seen by many as a co-president, Musk fuels constant chaos, confusion, and controversy while the Trump Administration quietly enacts Project 2025’s coup blueprint.
With Trump’s full support, Musk has taken on the role of propaganda chief and enforcer, pushing DOGE’s so-called “accomplishments” while wielding unchecked power. He enacts mass firings with public cruelty, distracts with outrageous stunts like wielding a chainsaw at CPAC to symbolize cutting bureaucracy, and floods social media with misinformation and spectacle.
This is the political equivalent of “Look at my right hand while my left hand does the real work.” The media, driven by ratings and engagement, falls for it every time, resulting in casualty after casualty in the authoritarian’s war on truth.
The "Bias" Trap
Although Trump is skilled at diversion, his true genius lies in weaponizing accusations of media bias. Once again, his strategy unfolds in a predictable pattern:
- Trump accuses the media of bias.
- The media, wanting to appear neutral, overcorrects.
- This creates false equivalence, where lies and truth hold equal weight.
- Trump’s perspective gains legitimacy, regardless of merit.
Unsurprisingly, Trump’s perpetual “victimhood” narrative turns routine fact-checking into partisan warfare. When journalists challenge his false statements, he often resorts to childish insults and dismisses them as partisan operatives. These tactics put reporters in a difficult position, though their role as the Fourth Estate is vital. It is their job to keep the American people informed and hold power to account.
But sadly, the fear of appearing biased sometimes outweighs the fear of misleading the public, in which case we lose yet another battle in the war on truth. And democracy pays the price.
The Coming Storm: Threats to Press Freedom
As bad as all that sounds, things are about to get even darker. Trump’s 2024 campaign promises go beyond mere media manipulation. He’s openly campaigned on an agenda that would fundamentally reshape press freedom in America.
Trump has pledged to use government power against journalists, threatening to terminate the licenses of critical outlets, prosecute leakers, revoke access, and broaden libel laws to stifle dissent. These aren’t empty threats. They’re a blueprint for dismantling press freedom, presented in plain sight.
This overt hostility toward the press mirrors tactics used by authoritarian leaders worldwide. Strongmen understand that public intimidation and legal harassment can act as a deterrent while rallying supporters, who mistake such boldness for strength.
Mistrust: A Scourge in the War on Truth
Beyond direct attacks on the press, Trump and his allies have eroded trust in journalism itself. By relentlessly branding the media as the “enemy of the people” and promoting self-serving propaganda, they have sown deep distrust in mainstream outlets.
Driven in part by these dynamics, Americans are increasingly getting their news from social media, which paves the way for a troubling scenario. Professional journalism, which requires significant financial resources to produce, is often put behind paywalls. Meanwhile, propaganda—cheap and easy to create—circulates freely. Social media algorithms compound the problem by amplifying sensationalism over factual reporting.
Where does that leave us? In the attention-fueled circus of social media, propaganda soars high on a trapeze, dazzling the crowd and stealing the show, while factual reporting has to jump through rings of fire just to be noticed. The result? A deeply misinformed public that can’t distinguish between:
- Verified facts vs. viral memes
- Fact-checked journalism vs. propaganda dressed up as “news”
- Investigative reporting vs. random conspiracy theories
As you can imagine, the allure of free content, combined with the psychological satisfaction of believing whatever you want to believe, creates a powerful feedback loop that drives users away from legitimate journalism and into echo chambers of misinformation. Why pay for uncomfortable truths when comforting falsehoods are available for free?
The Post-Truth Threat
All things considered, the threat is clear: In this war on truth, we face an authoritarian-minded leader, armed with:
- Deep understanding of media dynamics
- Ability to weaponize grievance and bias
- Declining trust in fact-based media
- A willingness to use state power against journalists
- An electorate increasingly unable to distinguish fact from fiction
This isn’t just about politics; it’s about whether facts still matter in America.
When truth becomes whatever those in power declare it to be, when journalism becomes indistinguishable from propaganda, we lose our ability to understand the threat and defend against it. They say democracy dies in darkness, but sometimes it dies in broad daylight, with millions of people watching and sharing it on their screens.
Winning the War on Truth: Choosing Reliable News Sources
If we want to safeguard our democracy, now is the time to reassess the news sources we rely on. Let’s raise the bar and reward journalists who follow these guidelines:
- Hold Power Accountable: Expose lies, challenge misinformation, and speak truth to power.
- Ignore Distractions: Avoid amplifying every inflammatory statement or manufactured controversy.
- Prioritize Substance: Focus on investigative reporting and follow critical stories to their conclusion.
- Reject False Equivalence: Don’t give lies the same weight as truth in the name of neutrality.
- Defend Press Freedom: Stand firm—individually or in solidarity—against censorship and other authoritarian attacks.
By supporting journalism that meets these standards, we can push back against misinformation and reshape the incentives that drive the news cycle.
Democracy on the Brink: The Fight for Truth
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Like a circus elephant teetering precariously on a ball, America trembles on the brink of disaster, where our shared reality and the very foundation of democracy hang in the balance.
The death of our democracy won’t involve tanks in the streets or soldiers staked out at voting booths. Instead, it will come through the slow erosion of our ability to distinguish fact from fiction and the triumph of distraction over focused attention.
Ultimately, history will judge this moment by how we choose to respond. Will we fight back, or will we surrender to the dark charm of the master showman and forfeit the war on truth?
The choice is ours. But we must make it now before the very concept of choice itself becomes just another illusion in an authoritarian’s sleight of hand.
This is the final part of the series: Media’s role in Democratic Decline.
To learn more about how you can stand strong for truth, check out our Substack article, A Journey into the Twilight Zone of Truth: Navigating the Post-Truth Era. Arm yourself with the knowledge to become an active defender of truth. Together, let’s turn the tide and reclaim the integrity of our perceptions.
