On February 17, 2017, 140 years after its founding, The Washington Post launched its first-ever slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness”. The slogan, first unveiled via the news organization’s Snapchat, came just four weeks after the first inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, though it had been in development for over a year. At the time of release, critics argued that the slogan catastrophizes reality. In today's political landscape, however, it is as acute as ever. In fact, since the introduction of this slogan: fascism is on the rise globally according to the European Union’s Economic and Social Committee; The Washington Post has suppressed its own editorial board and precedent of political endorsements; the Associated Press has been barred from the Oval Office; and more journalists have been killed—noticeably by, indirectly, American dollars—than ever before. America is encroaching on free press and, by inherent extension, the freedoms of American democracy.
With the conclusion of 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported on their annual findings that at least 124 journalists were killed across 18 countries. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is accountable for the death of 85 of these journalists, despite the fact that the IDF articulated in a statement that they have and will never target journalists. The IDF received substantial financial succor from the US, and therefore American tax dollars played a substantial role in this lethal year for the press. The CPJ’s CEO, Jodie Ginsberg, said in the annual report, “Today is the most dangerous time to be a journalist in CPJ’s history”—and American weapons are contributing towards this crisis.
On domestic soil, the means of press suppression are less violent, though just as present. President Donald Trump has made repeated critiques of the press. During his first term, The Washington Post was a regular victim of Trump’s anti-media rhetoric. One notable example pertained to former US Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire. Trump accusatorial commented in a press briefing, “The Amazon Washington Post just put out a fake article that acting director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire—who I’ve gotten to know, and he’s a tough cookie—and I was surprised, I was shocked to hear this—was going to quit.” This instance is in character for Trump; such public criticism of journalism is a tactic he continues to employ into his second term.
It seems Trump’s anti-press narratives have won; by the most recent presidential election, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post Jeff Bezos forbade the editorial board from publishing an endorsement of Trump’s opposition, Kamala Harris. Bezos has indirectly donated the equivalent of two million dollars towards Trump’s second inauguration and engages in billions of dollars in contracts with federal agencies. In a similar, less scrutinized instance, biotech billionaire and owner of the Los Angeles Times Patrick Soon-Shiong blocked his paper from publishing an endorsement of Kamala Harris.
Most recently, following the official change in the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in government databases, The Associated Press (AP) was prevented from accessing the president. The AP’s style guide, which maintains the older, “Gulf of Mexico” name, is widely used. In making this decision, Trump's administration set a dangerous precedent: any news organization, even those as ubiquitous and reputable as the AP, risks the punishment of suppression should they not comply with state-mandated terminology—and, by extension, the state as a whole.
Across the world, the press faces increasing restrictions under authoritarian regimes; Taliban-controlled Afghanistan shuttered 12 media outlets in 2024 alone according to Reporters Without Borders. This tactic of control is by no means new; restriction of texts and media is a well-preceding step towards fascism and authoritarianism. Italy’s Benito Mussolini, for instance, was quick to control publications as Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich infamously burned off countless texts.
Though America is far from modern-day Taliban rule or Nazi Germany, the nation’s recent violent, oligarchical, and authoritarian infringements on the press are eerily resemblant of these brutal regimes. It is worth noting that, “History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes.” Often attributed to Mark Twain, the maxim is a valuable insight on today's circumstances.