Major News Outlets Stand in Solidarity; Trump Regime Responds with State Media

Can life in America be any more Orwellian?

By: Austin Abbring

September 22, 2026

The five major national news outlets have banded together in solidarity against the Trump administration after Donald Trump restricted CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House. ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News have all declined to continue in White House pool activities in response to Donald Trump's egregious action. It is exceptionally rare for me to say bravo to Fox, so I begrudgingly say, “bravo” for their ability to suddenly grow a spine after the line in the sand has been crossed for the umpteenth time. I feel like I need to take a long shower and brush my teeth after saying this. For Fox to stand alongside these other media outlets against the president truly demonstrates how dictatorial this action is. 

I have my criticisms, disagreements, and distrust of corporate media conglomerates, including the ones being targeted by the Trump regime, but this is unprecedented. The First Amendment is abundantly clear on the free press. My misgivings, and anyone else's, no matter where you stand politically, towards major news networks do not supersede the Constitution. This is remarkably dangerous and detrimental to our democracy, and everybody should be outraged.  

As expected, CNN, MS Now, and Politico have all begun filing lawsuits against the Trump administration. I know this story dropped at the end of last week, but I am relieved that it is really gaining traction now. This should remain at the top of the news cycle until the administration backs down. This should also be in every Democratic candidate's campaign ad arsenal. This must be messaged clearly and continuously by the Democratic Party. When the Republican Party failed to deliver on every campaign promise, provided cover for the Epstein billionaire class, started an illegal war of choice against Iran, kicked 17 million Americans off of their healthcare, and oversaw the largest transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top with the Big Ugly Bill, their response to the media doing their jobs and rightfully calling them out for it was to deny access to the media. Their response was that of a totalitarian government.

If you do not want to take my word for it, take President Trump’s. On Truth Social yesterday, he posted, “[describing his move as] an assault on the FAKE NEWS which has grown like Cancer (I have no idea why he capitalized this) in our beloved United States of America. It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security (again, should not be capitalized), and must be stopped, NOW!” If that does not sound like an excerpt from a speech by Vladimir Putin in Russia, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, or - for you history buffs out there - Adolf Hitler in 1930’s Nazi Germany, I do not know what else does.

It is still unclear exactly what reporting completely derailed the already deranged mind of Donald Trump, and he has provided no evidence to support the whole “fully coordinated” campaign by the major news networks in conspiracy against this administration. We will never get any of this evidence because it does not exist, and I believe this is all a distraction from several issues plaguing the Republican Party. I fear something dastardly is developing behind the scenes that this distraction is providing relief for; I just cannot pinpoint exactly what that may be. There is no question that right now, however, this is an effort to get everyone focused on and talking about anything but the GOP’s obvious shortcomings, lack of effective or really any functional policy, the war, and the midterms, which, assuming they happen, are going to be a disaster for the Republican Party. I feel as if there could have been a far less destructive and almost own-goal-type diversion that could have been developed and deployed, but the Republican think tanks are not exactly renowned for their critical thinking skills. 

In response to this media solidarity, beyond Donald Trump’s moronic and irresponsible Truth Social Post, the administration launches what can only be described as state-run TV. Obviously, this has been in the works for months, and the president just wanted an excuse to cater to his sycophants. This is all a coordinated effort. The new “Trump TV” launched Monday night as a free, 24/7, all-access platform streaming on YouTube. It kicked off by replaying the president's past speeches and runs blatant propaganda against “communists”, immigrants, and “outsiders,” and disperses nationalist rhetoric. 1984, anyone? Hello? 

Ostensibly, this state media only serves the ever-loyal-to-the-end 30% base of President Trump’s. The triple-Trumpers. I honestly have no idea who else this could possibly be for. It is serving as just a bizarre, private media bubble for Trump lackeys who have unhealthy obsessions with him and who already do not watch major news networks. This Trump TV nonsense is not going to create some wave of exciting new media consumption that pulls people away from news conglomerates or independent media. The president is already at record-low approval ratings - particularly among independent voters. No independent is going to get suckered into some outlandish, autocratic, dystopian government TV. Not to mention, Donald Trump is a horrendous public speaker. Who in their right mind wants to rewatch his maniacal and unhinged diatribes? If MAGA does not want to face being labeled a fascist movement, maybe quit supporting the man who consistently engages in fascist governance.