"“For Orbán in #Hungary, it took about four years, for Vučić in #Serbia, it took eight years, and for Erdoğan in #Turkey and Modi in #India, it took about 10 years to accomplish the suppression of democratic institutions that #Trump has achieved in only one year,” Lindberg says.

US #democracy is now back at the worst recorded level since 1965, when US #CivilRights laws first introduced de facto universal suffrage. All progress made since then has been erased"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2026/mar/17/trump-is-aiming-for-dictatorship-thats-the-verdict-of-the-worlds-most-credible-democracy-watchdog

#News #US

"A record 41% (3.4 billion) of the world’s population currently resides in countries where democracy is deteriorating... #Washington is leading this global turn away from #democracy.

...the speed with which US democracy is being dismantled is unprecedented in modern history. The main factor is a “rapid and aggressive concentration of powers in the presidency”... At the same time, civil rights have been rapidly declining and freedom of expression is now at its lowest level since the 1940s."

[Speaking of Freedom of Expression, Trump's #FCC chair is threatening the broadcast licenses of any #news agency whose reporting does not please the king.]

"The is the federal government telling news stations to provide favorable coverage of the war or their licenses will be pulled.

A truly extraordinary moment.

We aren't on the verge of a totalitarian takeover. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT."
- US Senator Chris Murphy
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:moye3apncjjbyqgb7orp5quj/post/3mh2jsyhiys2d

#Trump #BrendanCarr #FreeSpeech #Press #US #USA

Here is #BrendanCarr, quote-posting #Trump & threatening the broadcast licenses of any #news organization that does not provide favorable coverage of Trump's #war in #Iran:

"Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.

The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public [Trump's] interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not."

#Fascism #Politics #US #USA

"Donald Trump letting you know how the authoritarian capture of the media is going, in case you missed it. Unlike other authoritarians in places like Hungary and Poland he has no worries about advertising his authoritarian take over of the media."
- Eliot Higgins
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2whlowi5jjjqrdrrj4lxh2lx/post/3mh2cnoznqs2z

#DonaldTrump #Trump #Authoritarian #Fascism #GOP #Politics #News #Press #Media #FreeSpeech #FirstAmendment #US #USA #UnitedStates #America

Trump’s FCC Chairman Threatens Broadcasters’ Licenses After POTUS’ Tirade Over Iran War News Coverage
https://deadline.com/2026/03/trumps-fcc-chairman-threatens-broadcasters-licenses-after-potus-tirade-over-iran-war-news-coverage-1236753887/

"Donald Trump‘s FCC chairman threatened broadcaster licenses and warned that news outlets should “course correct” before their renewals come up after the president blasted the media over their coverage of the Iran war."

#Trump #BrendanCarr #FCC #Fascism #Politics #News #Press #FreeSpeech #US #USA #UnitedStates #America #FirstAmendment

"Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) wrote on X about Carr’s post, “This is a clear directive to provide positive war coverage or else licenses may not be renewed. This is worse than the comedian stuff, and by a lot. The stakes here are much higher. He’s not talking about late night shows, he’s talking about how a war is covered.”

Carr also has gone after late night and daytime talk shows"
https://deadline.com/2026/03/trumps-fcc-chairman-threatens-broadcasters-licenses-after-potus-tirade-over-iran-war-news-coverage-1236753887/

#Trump #BrendanCarr #FCC #Fascism #News #TV #Media #FreeSpeech #Iran #War #US #USA #America

"the threats of agency action are the point. There’s even a term for it: #Jawboning ... intended to elicit an action from a #private company by mere pressure from a #government entity.

...Gomez wrote about Carr ... “The #FCC can issue threats all day long, but it is powerless to carry them out. Such threats violate the #FirstAmendment and will go nowhere. Broadcasters should continue covering the #news, fiercely and independently, without fear of government pressure.”

#Politics #US #USA

“Let’s be direct: what Chair Carr is describing is government control of the press. He can call it public interest. He can call it accountability. It’s neither. Using federal regulatory power to threaten broadcast licenses over coverage decisions is unconstitutional — full stop. The #FirstAmendment does not have a carve out for news the #FCC chair finds inconvenient.”
https://deadline.com/2026/03/trumps-fcc-chairman-threatens-broadcasters-licenses-after-potus-tirade-over-iran-war-news-coverage-1236753887/

#DonaldTrump #Trump #BrendanCarr #Fascism #Authoritarianism #News #Media #TV #Press #Journalism #US

Rep Ted Lieu provides an appropriate response to Trump and Carr's attempt to control the media:

"Dear @BrendanCarrFCC: If you implement your flagrantly anti First Amendment actions, you will be sued and you will lose. And legal discovery will be awesome. Because the American people can then find out what the administration keeps hiding.

Take your fascist shit and shove it."

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/nancy-oshea.bsky.social/post/3mh2lw742ss2a

#Trump #BrendanCarr #FCC #Fascism #Politics #USPol #US #USA #UnitedStates #America