Media Analysis

Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Elon Musk during Trump’s presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol.

This Is What Government by Electronic Plebiscite Looks Like This Is What Government by Electronic Plebiscite Looks Like

Today’s tech oligarchs want the appearance of public acclaim for their deeply elitist vision of society—while maintaining a docile and cooperative public.

Feb 10, 2025 / Column / John Ganz

Demonstrators protest federal layoffs and demand the termination of Elon Musk from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Washington, DC, on February 7, 2025.

The Democrats’ Choice: Fight Trump’s Oligarchy or Keep Groveling to Billionaire Donors The Democrats’ Choice: Fight Trump’s Oligarchy or Keep Groveling to Billionaire Donors

Elon Musk’s power grab is finally energizing a resistance. But it’s already being undermined by the party elite’s dependency on Silicon Valley.

Feb 10, 2025 / Jeet Heer

A woman with a ponytail walks through a door.

Trump’s Phony Trade Wars Are Evidence of American Imperial Decline Trump’s Phony Trade Wars Are Evidence of American Imperial Decline

President’s bullying of allies yields symbolic results—but betrays substantive weakness.

Feb 5, 2025 / Jeet Heer

Grassroots action: Our Revolution at the Democratic National Committee leadership election on Saturday.

Defeating the Democratic Party Elites  Is Just the First Step  Defeating the Democratic Party Elites  Is Just the First Step 

The party faces a choice: Will it embrace the grassroots energy behind its newly elected leadership? Or allow Trump and his corporate allies to tighten their grip on the country?

Feb 4, 2025 / Joseph Geevarghese

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Donald-Trump-Marco-Rubio-2182240589-gty.jpg

What the Neocons Do—and Don’t—Explain About Trump What the Neocons Do—and Don’t—Explain About Trump

The president’s foreign policy agenda remains unpredictable, but his war on liberal culture has deep roots.

Feb 4, 2025 / David Klion

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during the inaugural parade in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.

Who Will Stop Elon Musk’s Coup? Who Will Stop Elon Musk’s Coup?

The world’s richest man now has the power to override congressional spending decisions and access to private information about every US taxpayer.

Feb 3, 2025 / Jeet Heer

Still leaning left?: Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senate Democrats Are Attacking Tulsi Gabbard for the Wrong Reasons Senate Democrats Are Attacking Tulsi Gabbard for the Wrong Reasons

Preferring to defend spy agencies and line up behind the hawkish consensus, the bipartisan elite ignores the director of national intelligence nominee’s rampant Islamophobia.

Jan 31, 2025 / Jeet Heer

US President Donald Trump points to journalist Jim Acosta from CNN during a postelection press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 7, 2018.

CNN Surrenders to Trump CNN Surrenders to Trump

The corporate media’s commitment to fighting autocracy proves fickle.

Jan 24, 2025 / Column / Jeet Heer

President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration, in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.

Trump’s Supposed Unity Message Is a Gloating Threat of MAGA Triumphant Trump’s Supposed Unity Message Is a Gloating Threat of MAGA Triumphant

The new president uses shock and awe to claim a mandate over demoralized Democrats.

Jan 20, 2025 / Jeet Heer

A reporter works in front of a home burned by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on January 9, 2025.

The Media’s Mega-Failure on LA’s Mega-Fires The Media’s Mega-Failure on LA’s Mega-Fires

Even as the LA fires still burn, most journalism is not representing how the climate crisis is driving increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather.

Jan 16, 2025 / Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope

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