Back in 2016, Trump made lambasting the corrupt corporate state “fake news” media a central plank of his campaign, to great success in the GOP primary on the way to a stunning victory in the general election against the anointed heir to the neoliberal throne, Hillary Clinton.
Trump returned to that well on September 24, offering the following denunciation of the fake news, NBC and MSNBC in particular, and calling for an investigation into Comcast’s “Country Threatening Treason” (inexplicably written in title case in classic Trump fashion) on Truth Social (emphasis added):
They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC NEWS, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its “Country Threatening Treason.” Their endless coverage of the now fully debunked SCAM known as Russia, Russia, Russia, and much else, is one big Campaign Contribution to the Radical Left Democrat Party. I say up front, openly, and proudly, that when I WIN the Presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events. Why should NBC, or any other of the corrupt & dishonest media companies, be entitled to use the very valuable Airwaves of the USA, FREE? They are a true threat to Democracy and are, in fact, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! The Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!
Corporate state media, the perennial Boys Who Cried Wolf, responded with a collective meltdown over the existential threat to Democracy™ or whatever.
Via Occupy Democrats:
Trump goes full-fascist in an unhinged Sunday night rant, announces that he will remove NBC News and MSNBC from the “airwaves” if he’s elected in 2024 because they committed “treason” against him by reporting on his crimes…
There you have it, folks. While Trump and his Republican enablers love to falsely accuse Democrats of “weaponizing” the government against Trump, Trump himself is now openly threaten to weaponize the presidency to completely remove entire news channels from the airwaves simply because they expose his rampant criminality.
Occupy Democrats then shills “Tribel, a woke new Twitter competitor,” employing a non-ironic use of the term “woke” as an apparent positive attribute.
On the substance of Trump’s criticism, I don’t see very much there to criticize. He’s absolutely correct about MSNBC/NBC being nothing more than state propaganda, as well as the Russiagate conspiracy theory being a debunked hoax.
That said, we have enough state obstruction of journalism as it is without calling for more government interference in the institution, even for an outlet as odious as MSNBC. The best way to combat its lies and censorship is with truth and free expression.
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