The president’s full-court press to dominate media and control cultural institutions is straight out of the authoritarian playbook

Summary

Donald Trump is reshaping U.S. culture through a propaganda-driven strategy that rebrands symbols and controls narratives.

His actions include renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, issuing numerous executive orders, pressuring media outlets, and taking over cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center.

These moves, aimed at consolidating power and curbing dissent, mirror tactics used by authoritarian regimes, as the administration uses symbolism, legal challenges, and media manipulation to control public discourse.