Trump, tech billionaires and the MAGA GOP's coup, via social media
Yes, today's a short read ;)
TAT readers,
I often post a great deal about national security threats on LinkedIn. Today’s brief TAT post is really just my comments from LinkedIn this morning, on an excellent piece of research I came across. A couple of years ago, I came to Substack, primarily because LinkedIn has struggled dangerously for at least a decade, in protecting their subscribers from what is professionally called, “malign influence.” The Trump administration and the MAGA GOP, in conjunction with primarily Russian intelligence, has employed social media platforms as weapons of war, against our constitutional republic and others. This, as the article explains, is a global far-right trend now, and for at least, the past two decades. For the record, I see far less evidence at this time, regarding attempts at influence operations on Substack, and yes, this is a professional opinion, considering my long experience as an influence operator, in support of US and NATO national security. Thank you, Substack.
The US government and NATO both, are mostly impotent in protecting homelands from such influence. The reasons are many but largely is due to nepotistic, fake experts and their organizations, that have failed miserably since the end of the Cold War.
I have nearly written my fingerprints off, writing professionally about this topic for years, even far before Substack. The links below are some of the examples of this writing.
Unrestricted Social Media platforms are a severe threat to the US/ NATO and all democracy.
Combat ineffective, the rusted, broken hulk of US Influence Operations
Protecting our nation from Mis and Disinformation, requires true expertise at Ethical Influence
The linked article by Dr. Katja Munoz, published by the German Council on Foreign Relations, is excellent and scholarly work. I know this because it is one aspect of my profession regarding influence operations by adversaries. From an operational perspective, my expertise, she is spot on, and this is not only a threat to the US, but global security as well.
Things are far worse than when any of my essays or this article were written. Musk owns X, formerly Twitter. Google has capitulated to Trump. Musk, Zuckerberg, and Amazon, the same. The reason that the US Congress wished to ban TikTok, is now what we experience from American based companies, that own our data.
For example: It's getting more difficult to find scholarly or expert views regarding anti-Trump or Musk information in a Google Search. I know because I research daily. Now, they have mountains of data that is used to influence or actually perpetuate the "brainwashing" of Americans and other global allies that may support Trump, Putin, Modi etc. who are at the elite global levels of far-right ideology and practice.
Time is of the essence, for all users to demand transparency and fair treatment from Alphabet Inc., Meta, Amazon, and dangerous media types like, FOX News, X, Truth Social, etc. are like Musk, the racist, kleptocrat working day and night to make Trump's coup d'état, a fait accompli.
Global oligarchs are in the process of cementing a powerful coalition of liars. I wish there were a nicer way to say this but hey... we're at war against the ongoing coup.
I will tell you this; over the weekend I began rereading, "1984" by Kurt Vonnegut. I recommend that honest Americans and global citizens do as well.
On Friday, I wrote the first in a series explaining Trump and Musk's coup attempt: Why won't the media call it a coup? - by Paul Cobaugh
Yesterday, I wrote the second in the series, "Fighting Back": Trump, Musk and the MAGA GOP's, coup attempt: fighting back! Part II in a series.
Yes, in my deeply experienced professional opinion, this is now a distinct possibility. To make matters worse, today's spineless MAGA GOP is fully complicit in the overthrow of the very constitutional republic, that they are sworn to protect.
Hopefully, the already capitulating mainstream press can find their spine and begin reporting the truth, instead of falsely claiming that today's GOP, is "conservative." They are far-right extremist soldiers, marching to the beat of Trump and Musk's drums and in support of this coup.
This is the truth, without political correctness, euphemisms or any other type of sugar-coating.
The media is always screaming about the First Amendment so how about they put their pen to work exercising theirs and our, constitutionally guaranteed "right to a free press."
At the national level, The Associated Press and USA TODAY are in my opinion, two of most truthful of publications. Yesterday and again, Trump punished the AP for his perceived slight. Like all bullies, he's a coward.
Again, my friends and fellow citizens, most of this is from another post this morning on LinkedIn, a most dangerous place for those that tell the truth. For this reason, I felt strongly that due diligence required that I share these words here. The truth is, LinkedIn’s algorithm would “moderate,” “throttle” or “shadow-ban” my original post anyway, or allow an outside cyber threat to “moderate” it as well, often both.
Strength and honor,
Paul
