Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the United States and a respected political analyst, sounds the alarm in a sharp editorial published in The Guardian: the American media is subjected to a systematic campaign of intimidation and silencing orchestrated by President Donald Trump.
„We are witnessing the silencing of the American media,” writes Reich, citing specific cases where media giants like The Washington Post and CBS have succumbed to pressures from Trump’s circle of influence.
The most recent example: the departure of journalist Eduardo Porter from The Washington Post, who ended his collaboration with the publication accusing Jeff Bezos of imposing an editorial direction that, according to Porter, favors free markets and personal freedoms but in reality reflects "fear of what Trump could do to Bezos' business interests."
Reich does not stop there.
The case of Stephen Colbert, the former host of The Late Show on CBS, is even more shocking. On July 14, Colbert criticized Paramount (CBS' parent company) live on air for paying $16 million in a settlement with Trump following a lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. He called that settlement "a big legal bribe." Three days later, Colbert's show was canceled. Trump publicly applauded: "I love that he got fired."
A week later, the sale of CBS to Skydance, a company close to the Trump administration, was approved by the FCC (American telecommunications authority). The condition? Eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and creating an independent advocate position to handle "bias complaints" in news - meaning any criticism directed at Trump.
"This is how a democracy dies," warns Reich. The media is silenced not through explicit censorship, but through a dangerous mix of economic pressures, institutional fear, and opportunistic collaboration. "Shame on all media and academic institutions that allow themselves to be intimidated," he concludes.
Reich argues that the phenomenon is not isolated. Even elite universities like Columbia have reportedly begun to "cooperate" with the Trump administration to maintain access to federal funds, allowing for the review of admission and hiring processes.
In conclusion, Robert Reich calls for resistance: "Shame on any press trust or university that allows Trump to silence it.
Trump is a dangerous despot. America needs Eduardo Porter, Stephen Colbert, and all others in the press and academia who have helped this nation understand how truly dangerous Trump is."