Nobel laureate Maria Ressa issued a stark warning about the state of American democracy during a recent interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Ressa, renowned for her courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines, compared the rapid erosion of US institutions and free speech under the Trump administration to a scene of paralysis, likening Americans to 'deer in the headlights'.
She highlighted the alarming speed at which these institutions crumbled, surpassing even her own expectations. Drawing parallels between the Trump administration and the Duterte regime in the Philippines, Ressa emphasized the fragility of democratic rights. She stressed that inaction in the face of such attacks leads to irreversible losses, making the subsequent fight for their restoration exponentially more difficult.
The conversation followed the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel by ABC. This decision, coming after criticism from the chair of the US media regulator and threats against ABC affiliates, fueled accusations of the network appeasing the Trump administration. The timing coincided with Trump's suggestion that negatively portraying him could result in government retribution against news networks.
Ressa's concerns extended beyond the specific case of Kimmel's suspension. She described a global pattern of democratically elected 'illiberal leaders' rising to power through the insidious manipulation of public information. She identified a common 'dictator's playbook', drawing comparisons between the Trump administration's rhetoric and actions, particularly concerning alleged Venezuelan drug operations, and the brutal anti-drug campaign under former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
Despite the grim outlook, Ressa offered a message of resilience. Referencing her own experiences in the Philippines, she underscored the importance of continued journalistic efforts, emphasizing the need to persevere and to maintain the fight for freedom of expression, one step at a time. This unwavering commitment, she suggested, is critical to safeguarding democracy against the forces seeking to dismantle it.
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Originally published at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/19/maria-ressa-tells-jon-stewart-americans-are-deer-in-the-headlights-in-face-of-trump-assault-on-free-speech
