America and our democracy are under attack

The press needs to reorient itself in small ways — such as the use of language — and more significant ways, such as banding together against attacks and reporting in defense of our country.”

Jonathan Reiss, co-founder of the Media and Democracy Project

American democracy is under siege. Most of us, including journalists and newsroom leaders, have been slow to fully acknowledge it. But those who have experienced authoritarianism, such as Masha Gessen and Maria Ressa, recognize it. The press has a vital role and duty to accurately and urgently alert the public to what is happening.

Editors’ responses to appeals like this have been a mix of “to do that would be partisan” and “we are already doing that.” Acting in support of democracy is partisan. While sporadic alarms have been sounded on opinion pages and news analyses occasionally scrutinize the parallels between the Third Reich and the Trump administration, the opinion pages also have platformed authoritarians. Most importantly, the quotidian news coverage rarely gives broad context and often uses misleading terms and frameworks promoted by those deliberately undermining the U.S. Constitution.

The press needs to reorient itself in small ways — such as the use of language — and more significant ways, such as banding together against attacks and reporting in defense of our country.

The would-be authoritarians embrace the term “conservative.” Project 2025 used the term hundreds of times. But denying due process, imposing massive tariffs and undermining NATO are not conservative. While reducing regulation is conservative, closing government agencies without Congressional authorization is not.  Trump administration actions violate Speaker Johnson’s core conservative principles. To use “conservative” to describe what is happening misinforms the public and provides an unwarranted sense of normalcy and comfort.

“Fascist” is more accurate. That’s not our assessment but that of experts, including Ruth Ben Ghiat, Jason Stanley, Timothy Snyder and many others. They were measured in their application of the term to the MAGA movement but now say it is apt. If fascist is a bridge too far, autocratic, corrupt and dictatorial would all be more appropriate terms than “conservative.”

Furthermore, the press should never describe DOGE as a department seeking to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse or as being guided by “efficiency” or “cost-savings.” DOGE is not a legitimate department. DOGE is illegally accessing Americans' private information, demolishing agencies the would-be autocrats don’t like and regulations that prevent the government from being looted, and thwarting investigations into the oligarchs’ offenses.

Accuracy alone is sufficient reason for the press to confront the administration, but there are two others: patriotism and self-defense. Our core principles and the governmental system that has led to our success are being attacked. While the press should not be partisan in a battle between Democrats and Republicans, it should be partisan in a fight between “small-d democrats” and autocrats. The press must stand in favor of transparency, reality and the rule of law.

The press is under attack, as are the laws, rules and norms that support it. The White House just flagrantly violated a court order requiring access for The Associated Press. The New York Times offered “A Playbook for Standing Up to President Trump” to universities, law firms and other institutions. The entire Fourth Estate should heed its advice.

News organizations must collectively and actively stand together. News organizations can begin by signing an open letter for press freedom, which is being circulated. The press should report on attacks against press freedom and on weaponization in context. For example, individual actions are reported, but the press should make connections such as tying together the FCC’s scrutiny of the Paramount/Skydance merger, the investigation into Paramount/CBS’s “60 Minutes,” and Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit on the same matter. Each piece of the campaign to silence dissent should be reported as part of a coordinated effort.

Our country is under attack. An independent press is essential to our democracy’s defense.

 Jonathan Reiss is a co-founder of the Media and Democracy Project, an all-volunteer, non-partisan, grassroots organization fighting for a more informative and independent press operating in the public interest.