When Donald Trump joined with Benjamin Netanyahu to again attack Iran, he urged the Iranian people to “take over your government.”
Of course, dismantling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the supreme leader’s authority, establishing a secular constitution, and ensuring free elections remain extremely low.
Among the many tactical and strategic challenges is a press able to Challenge Ideology by expressing views on democracy and human rights that run counter to the traditional, state-centered Ideology.
Of course, any free press is not what Trump wants. Minho Kim, reporting for the NY Times from Washington on February 25, said that Trump is seeking to limit safeguards protecting the editorial freedom of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which are private nonprofits, and that they now have to sign a contract with the Trump administration to receive the money that Congress authorized.
Such a contract gives political appointees more control over their operations, including Kari Lake, who leads the parent agency of the federally funded news groups, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a longtime supporter and former Republican candidate ideologically aligned with Trump.
According to a draft of the proposal reviewed by The New York Times and two people familiar with the matter, Lake for Trump would have the power to veto new hires for editors in chief, chief executives, and members of their boards, and could unilaterally shut down parts of their news operations with a two-week notice.
As of now, contract negotiations continue.