Trump’s banning of entire media outlines is part and parcel of what authoritarians do to a free press. Authoritarians simply do not like a free press — and the latest escalation from Trump is a dangerous moment for a functioning democracy.

Trump's ban on MSNOW, CNN, and Politico is not only part of the autocratic playbook, but the timing is no coincidence. Trump is well in the autocratic backfire process, thus, entire media outlets he sees as threats must be banished. This is a moment of reckoning for America.

Trump's ban on MSNOW, CNN, and Politico is not only part of the autocratic playbook, but the timing is no coincidence. Trump is well in the autocratic backfire process, thus, entire media outlets he sees as threats must be banished. This is a moment of reckoning for America.

Judges are targets in the United States, a backsliding and damaged democracy, because they have repeatedly stood up for democratic notions of justice. We are in a fight for the soul of the judiciary and the future of what law will mean while Trump retains power.

Democratic notions of the law, and the very notion of “rule of law” and “impartial justice” have no place in authoritarianism.

In authoritarian states, “law” upholds lawlessness, and its first duty is to keep the leader safe from domestic or outside accountability processes. Judicial capture is the means, and the conversion of the law into what the leader and his enablers need it to be is the end.

For over 10 years, Trump has delegitimized elections through propaganda and lies. We must not fall for his antics as we get close to the midterms. The most important thing any of can do is reject his lies and turn out loudly and proudly.

Desperate autocrats engage in desperate behaviors—and that is exactly what Trump is doing now. His tricks are in line with those of other desperate autocrats, but they are worth calling out and paying attention to. Remember that autocrats fear you and fear the power you express by voting.