The Western media, he declared at a May 2022 special meeting of the Conservative Political Action Committee in Budapest, are 'the root of the problem.' The key to conservatives reclaiming power in the United States' 'Have your own media.' Orban spoke from experience, having systematically reshaped Hungary's political landscape since 2010, largely by reining in the independent press and replacing it with a loyal media apparatus. His advice, though at odds with democratic values, was warmly embraced by his American admirers, including conservative journalists, podcasters and political leaders. Now, three years later, one particular political figure, President Donald Trump, appears to have taken Orban's words to heart, mimicking Orban's early actions and moving swiftly to dictate the terms of his own coverage. Soon after, Trump's team stripped the White House Correspondents' Association of its authority to decide which outlets are in the presidential press pool, a role journalists have...
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