‘The greatest propaganda op in history’: Trump’s reshaping of US culture evokes past antidemocratic regimes

The president's full-court press to dominate media and control cultural institutions is straight out of the authoritarian playbook

Bigger than the Super Bowl, claimed Donald Trump, sitting in a big leather chair beside a big map. Then came an announcement over the public address system. Air Force One is currently in international waters," declared the flight crew of the US presidential jet, for the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America."

As his aides clapped and whooped, Trump gloated: Isn't that nice? We're about Make America Great Again', right? That's what we care about." He proceeded to sign a proclamation declaring 9 February Gulf of America Day" as Air Force One flew over the body of water previously known as the Gulf of Mexico.