Communicating in a Self-Censoring Environment as Trump Takes Command

Even before the election results were in, the self-censorship was already underway.

The Washington Post and the L.A. Times chose not to endorse in the presidential election. Say what they will about a return to past practice, “what we saw… is the construction of one of the cornerstones of dictatorship: self-censorship,” wrote Rebecca Hamilton, a Professor of Law of American University and Executive Editor of Just Security.

And what are those of us who communicate for a living to do when the monoliths of the free press back down without even being asked – when they back down out of fear of risk alone.

The complexities of the new age that’s dawning in America with the re-election of Donald Trump, with his promises for revenge against those who oppose him, are already spilling well into the granular. In the world of public relations consulting, the work of helping clients with much at stake navigate this new reality is already underway.

Clients, from the biggest companies to the smallest nonprofits, almost all have a link to the federal government. Whether it’s a federal contract that supports the network of firms that make their business work, or grant programs, the federal government has a long arm. Run afoul and you may find your business disrupted, or your grants run dry, at least in Trump’s world. That’s the fear already permeating.

In conversations I’ve had with fellow communicators, we’re already worrying on behalf of our clients who might be inclined to stick their necks out in opposition, and hearing from clients already inclined to protect themselves from the perceived dangers of Trump’s pre-announced reprisals.

No matter which way one turns, self-censorship can easily be the path forward. The reality, it seems, is that democracy dies in broad daylight, with everyone watching.

It’s already clear that we can’t rely on the existing institutions that are supposed to be the leading voices of free speech to protect against this instinct. We need leaders -- elected and in the private sector -- to find their bravery to speak out against the politics of revenge to re-establish a bubble of protection that will help us feel safe enough not to self-censor.  

As communicators who work with these leaders, we can advise them on when and where to take a stand, and when it might be better to hold their fire. And when they do take a stand, we can craft targeted messages that attack the issue, not the person behind it, reducing the risk of reprisal while still delivering necessary moral clarity.

The balancing act is already underway, and we must find ways to protect against self-censorship, or we’ll lose the free press that our business relies upon. Or worse, we’ll lose democracy itself.