Trump’s Hatred of Free Speech Is Intensifying

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Desensitization is one of Donald Trump’s most powerful tools : Through repetition, he acclimates Americans to troubling and dangerous ideas.

Occasionally, though, his statements and actions are so outrageous that they can still provide a shock.

The president’s hostility toward the media is familiar, but this weekend provided a clear reminder that Trump hates freedom of the press and will use any government power at his disposal to try to get rid of it.

Yesterday morning, Trump started off with a post on Truth Social demanding that the Federal Communications Commission do something about “THE FAKE POLLS USED BY OUR CROOKED MEDIA.” About 15 minutes later, he followed this with a long rant about Kristen Welker of Meet the Press , complaining that she had noted that Trump’s record in recent endorsements had been “a mixed bag.” Along with some casual misogyny, Trump wrote, “How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves? Results are attached.

Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment.” The reasons for Trump’s anger are plain: Polls consistently show that he is deeply unpopular , matching or exceeding his own past lows in many opinion surveys.

Republicans look likely to lose the House and perhaps also the Senate in this fall’s elections, and more Democratic power in Washington would make Trump’s life more difficult.

As for the endorsements, the record is clear.

My colleague Will Gottsegen noted last week that most Trump-backed candidates still win, but he’s had some notable misses as well.

Not only is the reporting that infuriates Trump accurate, but siccing the FCC on it makes no legal sense.

The agency regulates radio and TV outlets, but much polling is conducted by print outlets and other organizations.

The FCC doesn’t have any authority to punish NBC News for reporting on things the president doesn’t like, whether accurate or not.

The FCC’s site states (for now) that intervening in such cases “would be inconsistent with the First Amendment to replace the journalistic judgment of licensees with our own.” If the FCC or any other federal agency can do that, freedom of the press no longer exists.