The War on Media and How to Fight Back

The Trump regime's assault on journalism obliges us to take action, or it will get worse—here's two actions to consider

Donald Trump’s attacks on the free press have escalated into an all-out war on independent journalism. His administration has made public broadcasting its latest target, with the Federal Communications Commission now investigating PBS and NPR under the guise of “government efficiency.”w Meanwhile, Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene’s subcommittee has summoned the CEOs of PBS and NPR to testify before Congress in March, a clear attempt to pressure lawmakers into defunding these critical news orgs. How do we respond to this blatant government censorship? Let’s Address This.

Credit: First Amendment Watch at New York University

Let’s Be Clear—This Is Government Censorship

In no world is this move to defund PBS and NPR about efficiency—it is about silencing dissent and eliminating media that refuses to serve as a propaganda machine. PBS and NPR have long played a vital role in American society, from educating children in low-income communities to providing fact-based journalism that holds the powerful accountable. Yet Trump has branded NPR a “liberal disinformation machine” and made dismantling public broadcasting a priority for Elon Musk’s DOGE—a blatant attempt to consolidate control over the media landscape.

The irony, of course, is staggering. Musk, the cente-billionaire tasked with supposedly cutting government waste, has himself received over $20 billion in federal subsidies. Meanwhile, NPR, the organization under attack, receives on average less than 1% of its comparatively meagre $300M operating budget from federal grants. These attacks are not about government waste—they’re about silencing journalism that dares to report criticism of the Trump regime.

Our failure to respond to this censorship will only further enable the Trump regime’s fascist acts. It will embolden him to continue to tear down any outlet or institution, public or private, that dares question his authority or his actions. We cannot afford to sit idle, and fortunately, nor are we helpless in this situation.

The Need for Clear, Independent Guidance

I founded Let’s Address This to ensure that people have access to clear, fact-based journalism. What started as a human rights project that earned the trust and subscription of 1700 people in its first week, is now a proud community of 117,000 people who have subscribed. Our articles reach nearly 2.5 million people each month. This platform continues to grow because the need for community funded honest reporting on human rights and social justice has never been greater.

But I am just one person. I cannot cover every critical story alone, which is why I urge you to not only subscribe and support my work but to equip yourself with the tools necessary to discern fact from fiction. The ability to verify, cross-check, and critically analyze the information you consume is more important now than ever.

So, what do I rely on? How do I ensure that the facts I cite are backed by verifiable data rather than corporate or political bias?

A Solution: Ground News

One of the most valuable tools I use in my research and reporting is Ground News. Here’s how it works and why it works so well:

Global Perspective: Ground News gathers related articles from sources across the world, allowing you to compare coverage and see what details are emphasized, exaggerated, or omitted entirely.

Bias Transparency: It identifies the political bias of each source, whether left, right, or center, and evaluates the factuality of their reporting. This allows you to see who owns a media outlet and what their interests might be.

Cut Through Misinformation: Instead of falling prey to editorial bias, Ground News provides you with the context needed to ensure you are informed, not manipulated.

By using Ground News, you empower yourself to make informed decisions rather than being spoon-fed misleading narratives. Unlike billionaire-owned media companies that serve political agendas, Ground News is subscriber-supported, meaning its loyalty is to you—the reader. And right now, if you subscribe to Ground News through the below link, you’ll receive 40% off their Vantage Plan, the same one I use to help research and write my articles before publishing.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly the Trump regime will continue its assault on media and journalism, obfuscating what is truth, what is right, and what is legal. In such a world where media manipulation is a tool of authoritarian power, we must fight back by arming ourselves with knowledge. Indeed, we are not helpless, and we must take the initiative to act. Subscribe to Ground News, support Let’s Address This with Qasim Rashid, and let’s continue to work together to ensure that truth continues to matter.