Some people claim Trump’s influence comes from his charisma as a leader, but others think he’s quite skilled at manipulation. As for the latter, some critics believe it might get worse if he becomes president because of Rep. Jim Jordan’s current behavior.
Jordan is putting a lot of pressure on private businesses, especially news and social media outlets. Basically, his actions show how Trump would manipulate these establishments and take over the media.
Rep. Jim Jordan’s Aggressive Blueprint
Rep. Jim Jordan, a chair of the House Judiciary Committee, is making aggressive attempts at different outlets. His goal is to compel news stations, social media platforms, and advertisers to follow his conservative ways.
Critics argue that this behavior offers a blueprint of how aggressive Trump might be if he becomes president. But it doesn’t end there. They even worry that he may be even worse than what Jordan is doing.
Jordan’s Most Recent Victim
CBD News seems to be his most recent victim. Why? Commentators think it’s most likely because they’re the type of mainstream media organization Trump loves to accuse. Trump likes to claim they treat him unfairly by just reporting on a situation involving him.
So what kind of attack did Jordan make? Well, it wasn’t physical, but rather, he’s been on CBS’s decision to fire one of their reporters, Catherine Herridge. He’s also scheduled a hearing for next week.
Who Is Catherine Herridge?
Catherine Herridge is an American journalist who worked for CBS in Washington as a senior investigative correspondent. She got hired at the company in 2019 but was suddenly fired in February 2024.
Don’t forget that Herridge was one of the few reporters who regularly debunked claims about Biden. Particularly, she addressed the president’s alleged involvement in a foreign influence scheme. Naturally, this earned praise from Trump, but she got terminated all of a sudden.
‘This Is Suppression Of Free Speech’
It seems CBS doesn’t like Herridge’s debunking sessions, and some say that’s the reason CBS let her go. Jordan took this case upon himself and is demanding CBS to answer for their unprofessional behavior.
Jordan even went as far as labeling Herridge’s termination as a suppression of “free speech.” He also claimed CBS seized her files after ending her employment, which just adds more fuel to the fire.
CBS Responded To The Allegations
Once news of Jordan’s “attacks” on CBS spread, the news platform quickly responded. They denied seizing Herridge’s files and said they delivered everything she owned to her home. In the process, her files were untouched.
Their statement read: “We have respected her request to not go through the files, and out of our concern for confidential sources, the office she occupied has remained secure since her departure.”
Herridge Will Get The Chance To Speak
It hurts to get laid off after you’ve given your blood, sweat, and tears to your employer. Jordan understands that Herridge feels this way and plans to give her the closure she wants. How?
He plans to let Herridge speak at next week’s hearing. During that time, she’s free to demand answers from CBS about why and who decided the best decision was to let her go. Herridge will also find out whether anyone went through her personal files even after she left CBS.
No Comments From Herridge Yet
Other conservatives have shown their support for Herridge. Getting laid off merely for debunking Biden’s claims is a violation of her rights. So, she deserves compensation.
For now, Herridge hasn’t made any public comment about the situation. The last statement she made was from a veterans’ group praising her journalism on social media. The vets weren’t her only fans, she also got recognition from SAG-AFTRA about her files.
Journalists Have Been Losing Their Jobs Recently
While Herridge’s sudden termination is heartbreaking, it’s been happening to other journalists. Hundreds of reporters have lost their jobs in recent months. The best explanation is that the current market condition has hit the news industry hard too.
Regardless, some of these reports were working on important investigations, especially on powerful figures. So, it’s hard to determine if they got laid off for financial reasons or political ones.
Criticism Against Jordan
Many see Jordan’s interest in Herridge’s case as heroic. He’s fighting for a woman who unfairly lost her job. But others think his action to help the industry actually undermines it.
These critics feel that Jordan insults the news industry by framing Herridge’s termination as political. He puts the blame on some “broad but unnamed” media conspiracy targeted at conservatives.
‘He Has A Pattern Of Making Trouble’
It seems that his fight with CBS isn’t the first time he’s put pressure on a business. Last month, Jordan attacked a few advertising companies because they wouldn’t allow ads next to content or platforms that “spread misinformation.”
He then sent a letter to these ad agencies, fighting against their stance against disinformation. He also claimed that they were trying to “demonetize” conservatives in defiance of antitrust laws.
Jordan Has Also Targeted Social Media Platforms
Jordan’s list of victims doesn’t end there. He’s also gone after some social media platforms recently. Why? He’s complaining about how they moderate hate speech and disinformation on their site.
Isn’t that a good thing? Not for Jordan! He ropes them into his conspiracy theory and claims that they’re part of a plan against Republicans.
Does This Reflect Trump’s Behavior?
Critics are concerned about how Jim Jordan is abusing the little power he has. But they say that this is just the beginning. If Trump gets elected into office, we can expect a behavior far worse than Jordan’s.
Basically, Trump will use his powerful allies to influence the news and social media. Therefore, he will manipulate what news Americans consume, just like how Fox News cherry-picks what news to show.
Will Trump Really Become A Tyrant?
These critics have a point, but they’re also making some serious predictions. They believe that Trump will take over the media and change the narrative throughout his administration. This may be a slippery slope argument.
While Trump has attacked some News channels in the past, it didn’t stop many other reliable outlets from reporting. Besides, there are too many channels to attack, making it unlikely that he will control the media narrative if he gets elected.
