If Trump issued an Executive Order requiring all newspapers to send articles to the WH for review before publication, would newspapers report it is a “requirement” or “mandate”? Or would the fact it’s preposterously illegal and unconstitutional make right into the lede and headline?
Mar 26, 2025 11:26If they required all journalists to accept untested experimental shots that profited their largest donors, or be fired.
Would that be OK?
"Mandate" or "requirement" would be far too mild—every headline would (or should) scream "Unconstitutional Censorship Order" or "Trump Tries to Kill the First Amendment." This isn't just illegal; it's straight-up authoritarian.
They would describe it as a creative and aggressive approach to the issue of fake news, long heralded by Trump, and then quote someone from an Ohio diner who supported the policy. Then they would forward stories for pre-clearance and comply with the new rule.
