Us versus them: how Trump's and conservatives' war on journalism impacted America's social & political spheres

This essay profiles the tumultuous presidency of Donald Trump and how his influence on right-wing populist politics further polarized the modern American Republican party and deepened a war on “liberal media.” I have found that former President Richard Nixon, former Vice President Spiro Agnew, and Barry Goldwater are primary influences on conservatives’ disdain of mainstream media. I also found parallels between Trump’s anti-media tirades and the emboldening of far-right extremist groups such as QAnon and the Proud Boys. This paper also analyzes the mysterious cult of personality behind the Trump administration and how this and the continued spread of election fraud lies could potentially be a few of the myriad reasons behind the extreme rightward shift of many conservative individuals/politicians alike. With qualitative research to analyze the significance of the conservative movement against news media, I argue and conclude that Trump and the MAGA extremist wing of the Republican Party have negatively impacted the social and political landscapes within American society.