Trump’s Threats to Broadcasters Echo Tactics of Authoritarian Regimes

When comedians take the stage with jokes or pointed remarks that offend influential leaders, or when satirical cartoons and television shows push boundaries, the reaction is often swift and severe.

Those targeted frequently accuse creators and their employers of violating social morals and national ideals. Subsequently, governments respond by issuing threats, applying financial pressures, and hinting at potential shutdowns. As a result, comedians seek legal counsel, executives retreat, and a clear message emerges: criticism or embarrassment directed at the government or its allies will not be tolerated.

Citizens of countries such as China, India, Iran, Russia, Turkey, and Venezuela are well acquainted with this pattern. Despite variations in the degree of authoritarianism, these nations have witnessed comedians, broadcasters, journalists, and cartoonists being systematically silenced.

With his recent declaration to potentially revoke broadcasting licenses from networks featuring late-night hosts who mock him, President Trump has moved the United States closer to this troubling global trend. His approach, which includes legal actions against media companies, cuts to public broadcasting funding, threats to block mergers, and preferential treatment for supportive outlets, mirrors tactics common among authoritarian governments.

Jennifer McCoy, a political science professor specializing in democratic erosion, notes, “Controlling media and information is often one of the first steps taken by authoritarian leaders. This is typically followed by suppressing dissent and criticism, not only in the media but also among political opponents and the general public.”

While experts monitoring free speech do not equate the President with the world’s most oppressive regimes, which have resorted to imprisoning or killing dissenters and shuttering news outlets outright, the similarities in initial tactics are cause for concern.