The Rise of State Media in Trump’s America

The White House launches a taxpayer-funded “news wire” to push state propaganda

Karoline Leavitt speaks at the White House on 28 April. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The First Step of Every Dictator Is the Same: Control the Information Space

The Trump White House recently unveiled its latest weapon in the war on truth: state-run propaganda called White House Wire. Hosted on the official WH.gov domain and styled to mimic a legitimate news site, it’s packed wall-to-wall with fawning, loyalty coverage of Trump.

But this isn’t news. It’s a carefully constructed illusion—an official platform built to amplify regime-approved messaging, elevate loyalist voices, and fabricate the illusion of nationwide support. White House Wire publishes cherry-picked headlines from right-wing outlets, recycled social media posts from Trump officials, and fawning press releases dressed up as journalism.

“White House Wire isn’t journalism. It’s regime propaganda on the taxpayer’s dime.”

Visually, the site mirrors Kremlin-backed platforms like Russia Today and Sputnik—headline-driven and deliberately designed to blur the line between state messaging and “journalism.” And it’s another clear sign that Trump is building a state media machine in plain sight.

In Russia, state media doesn’t just influence the national conversation but creates it. Independent journalists have long been silenced, exiled, imprisoned, or killed. Entire networks function as obedient megaphones for the Kremlin. Dissenting voices are labeled traitors and foreign agents, while loyalists are rewarded with airtime, protection, money, and power. And the Kremlin’s version of events is the only version allowed to exist.

“In Russia, the state controls reality. Trump is trying to do the same in America.”

This isn’t new. For over a century, Soviet and Russian leaders have understood that controlling the narrative and the information space is essential to having control over the people. The well-oiled propaganda machine they built has evolved with technology, becoming more precise, pervasive, and psychologically effective.

Now, we’re watching that same playbook unfold in the United States.

Silencing the Press, Elevating the Propagandists

Simultaneously, as the White House launches its “news wire,” Trump is escalating his assault on the free press. For example, reporters from the Associated Press—one of the most respected and nonpartisan global news organizations—remain barred from key events. Their offense? Refusing to adopt Trump’s preferred rebranding of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

“This is a classic authoritarian tactic—demanding loyalty to enforce ideological obedience.”

And it doesn’t stop at language.

Trump is actively weaponizing federal agencies to investigate and intimidate news outlets. The message is clear: report facts, demand accountability, and you’ll be punished. This isn’t just about discrediting the press—it’s about suppressing dissent, silencing independent reporting, and pressuring journalists into self-censorship.

At the same time, the regime is elevating a parallel media class—handpicked MAGA influencers, conspiracy theorists, and loyal propagandists—whose sole purpose is to amplify state narratives and validate the illusion of popular support.

These so-called “influencer briefings,” now held inside the White House, echo the Kremlin’s long-standing strategy of elevating loyalist media and propaganda figures. Attendees like Sean Spicer, Rogan O’Handley, and Jack Posobiec—the conspiracy extremist behind Pizzagate—aren’t journalists. They are operatives whose sole role is to validate and amplify regime propaganda. Even Trump family friends are brought in to deliver scripted praise in choreographed sessions—a propaganda spectacle masquerading as press access, carefully staged for viral clips and public manipulation.

It’s classic propaganda theater… Just as Putin relies on figures like Dmitry Kiselyov or Margarita Simonyan to blur truth and loyalty, Trump is building his own cadre of narrative enforcers.

“Like Putin, Trump is turning influencers into instruments of state power.”

The result is a closed-loop ecosystem: real journalists are sidelined, loyalists are elevated, and the American public is left to navigate a flood of state-approved propaganda disguised as grassroots commentary.

A Flood of Loyalty, a Drought of Truth

The goal isn’t just to control the message but to overwhelm the information space. By flooding the zone with loyal voices parroting regime talking points, Trump’s team is building a parallel media universe—one where dissent is drowned out, facts are nonexistent, and loyalty gets amplified.

This is the model Russia perfected. State television may look polished and credible, but its purpose is to distort, distract, and deceive. Trump’s version may use different faces and platforms, but the goal is the same.

From Free Press to Propaganda State

Authoritarian regimes know that truth threatens power—which is why they work relentlessly to silence it. Trump is no exception.

One of the most egregious recent examples: after a court halted Trump’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America, he moved to convert it into a state propaganda tool, bringing in One America News (OAN) to provide its “newsfeed.” VOA, a taxpayer-funded broadcaster created to counter disinformation, promote democratic values, and deliver fact-based news to oppressed populations, is now being co-opted to push Trump’s political agenda.

For decades, VOA has been a trusted lifeline for millions—reaching listeners from behind the Iron Curtain to modern-day Iran and China. Now, it’s being repurposed as a megaphone for far-right extremism.

Kari Lake, a senior adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, brokered the OAN deal, openly framing it as part of Trump’s “information war.” Meanwhile, more than 1,000 VOA journalists remain locked out under Trump’s executive order to dismantle the agency—a move still being fought in court.

“Congress mandated VOA to report reliable news, not outsource it to outlets aligned with far-right agenda.”

This is straight out of the Kremlin’s playbook. When Putin came to power, one of his first priorities was to consolidate control over the media—forcing out independent outlets and transforming once-free networks into instruments of regime propaganda.

And now, the once unthinkable is happening in America.

What Can We Do?

We cannot accept this and allow propaganda, censorship, and loyalty-driven media to be normalized. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we push back with facts, support, and amplify independent journalism, and refuse to be silenced.

Stay engaged—autocrats are counting on our exhaustion. We can’t give them the silence they want.

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