Is the Press the Enemy of the People? Or Just Trump’s Favorite Enabler?

How Clickbait, Cowardice, and Corporate Greed Built an Autocrat

Introduction: Welcome to the Trump Show, Sponsored by the Mainstream Media

Let’s get one thing straight: if Donald Trump is the villain in America’s never-ending political horror show, the mainstream media is the bumbling sidekick who keeps leaving the door unlocked and the keys in the ignition.

For a decade, the press has been Trump’s unwitting hype man, his free marketing department, and—let’s be honest—his favorite punching bag.

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Normalizing the Unthinkable: “Just Another Day of Trump Being Trump”

The press has normalized Trump’s attacks on democracy, the rule of law, and basic human decency by treating them as just more content for the never-ending news cycle.

In the last 48 hours alone, Trump has floated the idea of deporting the Democrat running for NYC mayor, prosecuting CNN reporters, and building a network of substandard prison camps modeled after Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz.”

And how did the mainstream media respond? With a collective yawn. Just another day of “Trump being Trump,” right?

The Media’s Trump Addiction: A Love Story Written in Clickbait

Remember 2015? The year the media discovered that covering Trump was like mainlining pure, uncut engagement metrics. Every time he opened his mouth, newsrooms across America heard the sweet, sweet sound of pageviews and ad dollars rolling in.

Trump’s campaign announcement wasn’t just the start of his political career—it was the start of the media’s toxic codependent relationship with the world of “alternative facts.”

Let’s talk numbers. Trump has received billions—yes, billions—with a “B”—of dollars in free publicity from mainstream outlets desperate to survive in the digital age.

Why bother with investigative journalism or holding power to account when you can slap “Trump” in a headline and watch the clicks roll in?

Journalism or PR? How the Press Became Trump’s Best Friend

You’d think that after a decade of being called “the enemy of the people,” the press would have learned to push back. But no—these days, reporters don’t even bother to fact-check Trump in real time.

They just let him and his army of surrogates spew lies, distortions, and conspiracy theories, all in the name of “balance.”

The result? Trump gets to define reality, and the media just nods along, too afraid of losing access—or, God forbid, their precious engagement metrics—to call him out.

And when Trump sues? The media folds faster than a cheap lawn chair. Just this week, Paramount Global (the parent company of CBS News) agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris.

The lawsuit was so frivolous it made a Bigfoot sighting look credible, but Paramount caved anyway—because, surprise!—they needed Trump’s administration to approve their pending merger with Skydance Media.

The settlement didn’t just hand Trump a fat check; it set a precedent that if you sue the press hard enough, they’ll pay you to go away.

And Paramount isn’t alone. ABC News coughed up another $16 million to make Trump’s legal threats disappear. That’s not journalism—that’s protection money.

The message to every newsroom in America? Don’t cross Trump, or you’ll be writing checks instead of stories.

Corporate Cowardice: When Billionaires Run the Newsroom

But wait, it gets better. Let’s talk about Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man and owner of The Washington Post. In February, Bezos announced that the Post would no longer publish opinion pieces that oppose “personal liberties and free markets.”

Translation: if you want to criticize Trump’s latest assault on democracy, take it somewhere else.

Bezos also blocked the Post’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024, leading to protests in the newsroom and subscriber cancellations. When a political cartoonist dared to mock Bezos for groveling before Trump, the cartoon was spiked, and the artist resigned.

Meanwhile, Shari Redstone at Paramount reportedly told “60 Minutes” producers to hold off on critical Trump stories until her merger was approved. So much for editorial independence.

The result? A media landscape where billionaires and corporate boards decide what you get to read about the most powerful man in the country.

The Bottom Line: The Press Isn’t the Enemy—It’s the Accomplice

So, is the press the enemy of the people? No. But it sure as hell has been the best friend Donald Trump could ever ask for.

By chasing clicks, caving to lawsuits, and letting billionaires call the shots, the mainstream media has helped Trump rise to power, stay in power, and push America closer to autocracy.

If democracy dies in darkness, it’s because the people who were supposed to shine a light decided it was more profitable to sell flashlights.

Final Thoughts: How to Trump-Proof Your Life (and Maybe Save Democracy)

If you’re tired of watching the media play the world’s worst game of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” with Trump, it’s time to demand better.

Cancel your subscriptions to cowardly outlets. Support independent journalism. And the next time you see a headline about Trump’s latest outrage, remember: the real story isn’t what he did—it’s why the press keeps letting him get away with it.

Join my Substack for thoughtful insights and discussions that matter. Together, we can explore the stories behind the headlines and understand the human impact of our leaders’ choices.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones, and remember to get into “good trouble.”