Free Speech Is Vulnerable; Support What You Want To Survive

Plus an extract from upcoming publication "The 'F-word' - But is it Fascism?"

I don’t subscribe to many publications—but I just added The Atlantic. Why? Because fearless journalism that speaks truth to power is under attack and sometimes free speech needs a dollar or two. The Atlantic exposed “Signalgate” when others would have buried it. The Washington Post once the paper of Watergate is retreating from its legacy. The New York Times seems unsure whether it’s challenging power or cosying up to it. As for Fox… enough said.

So now The Atlantic and its journalists will be targeted, lose access, and be smeared as ‘failing’ or ‘fake news.’ That’s how Fascism protects itself: Something I’ve covered in various outlets before.

This isn’t just about one magazine. It’s about what kind of media ecosystem you want to be informing people. Independent journalism. Journalists directly on places like substack, Wikipedia, - That Musk wants to control Byline Times, The Guardian these are all on the frontline. ( Feel free to add your own recommendations below)

Support what you want to survive. Because the alternative is silence.

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Controlling and attacking the media is one of the key characteristics by which fascism is defined. I set out to examine a question that many dismiss as alarmist—or worse, rhetorical overreach. But if we are to respond to a political crisis with clarity, we must first describe it with accuracy. The term “fascism” carries historical weight and emotional charge. It has been misused, diluted, and deployed as a slur across the political spectrum. Yet that does not mean it has lost its meaning—only that we must recover and apply it with care.

In “The F Word” I attempt just that. Drawing on the work of Robert Paxton, Umberto Eco, and other scholars of twentieth-century authoritarianism, the essay maps the ideological contours and operational tactics of fascism, then measures them against the actions, rhetoric, and structures of Trump’s second term in office.

What emerges is not hyperbole but a pattern. The goal is not provocation but precision: to ask, and answer, whether the label fits and why it matters that we use it when it does.

The following is a free excerpt from my upcoming research e-book

“The ‘F-Word’ - But is it Fascism?

Which will be available for download soon.

Examining the defining characteristics of fascism across historical and contemporary sources, a clear pattern emerges. Fascist systems are marked by an aggressive nationalism, often wrapped in populist rhetoric that presents the leader as the sole defender of the 'true' people. They rely on scapegoating—blaming minorities, migrants, or political opponents for societal problems—to consolidate power. While operating through a police state, they show little respect for legal constraints, using coercion and force rather than the rule of law. Dissent is ruthlessly suppressed, whether through direct censorship, intimidation, or the criminalisation of opposition voices, particularly those of the working class.

Control or outright attacks on the media ensure that the regime’s narrative goes unchallenged, while civil liberties are eroded under the guise of ‘national security.’ Fascist movements align closely with corporate and elite interests, protecting wealth and power while stoking anti-intellectual sentiment—vilifying teachers, students, and experts whose knowledge might threaten the regime’s authority. A near-religious veneration of the leader often replaces democratic accountability, with government and faith increasingly blurred. Corruption is rampant, and democracy itself is systematically undermined—not just through election tampering but by eroding trust in the electoral process itself.

Control of Mass Media

Control over information is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes. Trump’s control over the media is no longer limited to hostile rhetoric — it now extends to structural power through alignment with billionaire media moguls who shape the information ecosystem and direct media control.

While the U.S. maintains a nominally free press, Trump's consistent attacks on mainstream media as "fake news"¹ and his administration's attempts to delegitimize journalists are concerning. Before regaining power, he threatened to persecute the media he thought were unfair to him threats, including throwing journalists in jail to face rape if they didn’t disclose confidential sources and ‘stripping news networks of licences’, including ABC, NBC and CBS.²

Trump also has a track record of suing media companies. In 2022 he filed against CNN for $475m, claiming defamation.³ The case was dismissed.⁴ In 2023 Jeff Bezos’ Washington Post faced a $3.7 Billion defamation lawsuit from Trump’s Media company.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp groups, remains one of the most influential news sources for American voters. He recently paid Trump $25 million in a settlement widely interpreted as an act of fealty after Facebook had removed Trump’s accounts following the January 6th insurrection.⁵ Similarly, Elon Musk’s x.com paid Trump $10 million for the same offence.⁶

As for Jeff Bezos, The paper that once broke Watergate has now openly taken an editorial stance in favour of it’s Billionare owners business interest, declined to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election - having endorsed Democrats since the 1970s,⁷ and having given $1 Million to Trump’s ‘inauguration fund’⁸ is now getting praised by Trump.⁹

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter (now X) has transformed the platform into a haven for right-wing disinformation and anti-democratic sentiment.¹⁰ Musk reinstated Trump’s account¹¹ and has actively suspended independent journalists¹² and dissenting voices through algorithmic manipulation and monetisation schemes.

Beyond these billionaire alliances, Trump is also attempting direct ownership and control: Truth Social serves as a personal propaganda outlet. However, apparently even being owned by Trump doesn’t stop his instinct to sue - in 2024 it was announced he was suing his Truth Social co-owners.¹³

He has floated proposals for an officially sanctioned government news channel in an attempt to consolidate narrative control, while shutting down funding for pro-democracy media channels such as ‘Voice of America’ & ‘Radio Free Europe’.¹⁴ Ironically his choice of Media name ‘Truth Social’ mirrors the Russian state media outlet ‘Pravda’.

Simultaneously, Trump is clamping down on access: only loyal outlets are granted access to the president,¹⁵ while critical journalists are excluded from briefings and presidential events; Most famously, Trump ousted Jim Acosta , effectively barring independent scrutiny. ¹⁶

This is not a war on the media — it is a hostile takeover.

“The F-Word - But is it Fascism” Will be out later this year -

Be sure to Subscribe / Follow to be alerted.

References:

1. Ross, A. S., & Rivers, D. J. (2018). Discursive Deflection: Accusation of “Fake News” and the Spread of Mis- and Disinformation in the Tweets of President Trump. Social Media + Society, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118776010 (Original work published 2018)

2. Folkenflik, D. (2024, October 23). Trump threatens media with darker days if he wins the election. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/22/nx-s1-5161480/trump-media-threats-abc-cbs-60-minutes-journalists

3. Salo, J. (2022, October 3). Donald Trump sues CNN for defamation, seeks $475M in damages. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2022/10/03/donald-trump-sues-cnn-claiming-defamation-seeks-475m/

4. Tolan, C. (2023, July 29). Judge dismisses Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN over ‘Big Lie’ comments. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/29/politics/trump-cnn-big-lie-defamation-lawsuit/index.html

5. Associated Press. (2025, January 29). Trump, Meta reach $25 million settlement over Facebook ban after Capitol riot. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-settlement-zuckerberg-capitol-riot-9939e52679364080c983e0cab739b805

6. Moore, M. (2025, February 13). Musk's X pays $10 million to settle Trump lawsuit over being booted following Jan. 6th riots. International Business Times. https://www.ibtimes.com/x-settles-twitter-lawsuit-donald-trump-3763574

7. Davies, A. (2024, October 25). Backlash after Washington Post declines to endorse presidential candidate. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4l805jnmo

8. Watson, K., & Cathey, L. (2024, December 16). Meta, Amazon and tech CEOs make $1 million investments in Trump's inauguration. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tech-ceos-meta-amazon-donate-millions-inauguration/

9. Demianyk, G. (2024, October 18). Trump praises Jeff Bezos for ‘doing a real job’ at The Washington Post amid controversial changes. MSN News. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-praises-jeff-bezos-for-doing-a-real-job-at-the-washington-post-amid-controversial-changes/ar-AA1B6bfh

10. Facta. (2025, March 19). How Elon Musk’s powerful disinformation machine works. EDMO (European Digital Media Observatory). https://edmo.eu/publications/how-elon-musks-powerful-disinformation-machine-works/

11. Associated Press. (2022, November 20). Musk restores Trump's Twitter account after online poll. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320

12. Joyella, M. (2024, January 9). Elon Musk accused of 'silencing his critics' as X suspends journalists. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2024/01/09/elon-musk-silencing-his-critics-as-journalists-are-suspended-by-x/

13. Halpert, M. (2024, April 3). Trump sues Truth Social co-founders over alleged mismanagement. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68725771

14. ​Leali, G. (2025, March 16). Trump’s move to silence pro-democracy media sparks outrage. POLITICO. https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-move-silence-pro-democracy-media-voice-of-america-radio-free/

15. ​Gedeon, J. (2025, February 26). Outcry as White House starts dictating which journalists can access Trump. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/26/white-house-journalists-trump​

16. McMillan, R. (2024, September 27). Access no areas: How Nigel Farage’s exclusionary tactics come straight from Trump’s playbook. Byline Times. https://bylinetimes.com/2024/09/27/nigel-farage-reform-uk-donald-trump-deplatforming/