Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and historian, recently published an 8,000-word piece in The Atlantic warning about the dangers of disinformation in the current political landscape. She highlighted how autocratic forces worldwide, including Donald Trump in the U.S., are using propaganda to discredit liberalism and freedom, warping public perception and undermining democratic principles. Applebaum believes that the deployment of propaganda by authoritarians poses a significant threat to American democracy in recent decades.
According to Applebaum, those seeking power aim to destroy the concept of truth in order to maintain control. She pointed out that Vladimir Putin’s Russia pioneered the tactic of a “firehose of falsehoods,” which Trump and others have utilized to confuse and manipulate the public. By consistently spreading lies, people are made to doubt traditional sources of information, weakening faith in institutions and science. This tactic has been beneficial for dictators like Putin who seek to control the narrative and maintain power.
While Russia’s propaganda war has been effective in influencing public perception, the situation in the U.S. differs in that disinformation is not coming from state-controlled media. Trump has enlisted a network of collaborators who willingly spread falsehoods to support his agenda. This broken information economy rewards individuals and institutions for spreading dishonest ideas and conspiracy theories, furthering the erosion of trust in traditional sources of information. Trump’s propaganda machine includes influential figures in right-wing media who benefit from sowing distrust in credible sources.
Despite the clear harm caused by the lies propagated by Trump and his allies, legacy news media outlets have largely ignored the story. Major news anchors and publications often downplay the role of Fox News and other right-wing media outlets in spreading disinformation. However, Applebaum argues that understanding the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion is crucial for comprehending important events, such as the difficulty in passing legislation related to Ukraine funding and public skepticism towards election results. The propaganda machine is intrinsic to Trump’s continued influence over the Republican Party.
Applebaum expressed confusion as to why the mainstream press has not covered the propaganda issue more aggressively, considering it to be a central issue in modern society. The destructive impact of disinformation on public perception, political discourse, and democratic institutions cannot be overstated. By failing to address the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion, the media neglects a critical aspect of current events and political dynamics. It is essential to acknowledge and confront the influence of propaganda in order to safeguard democratic principles and promote a shared perception of reality.