Experts worry the US could be moving in the direction of illiberal democracies such as
Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, where the government controls much of the media landscape, independent journalists are harassed and non-governmental organisations critical of the prime minister’s policies are under constant pressure.
“We’ve seen a range of tactics being used that are very familiar to us from our coverage of authoritarian regimes,” said Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists. “They are meant to intimidate and silence the press and control the narrative.”