Joy Reid, who used to host a show on the network now called MS NOW, just gave a big warning about President Donald Trump. She said his power over American media could end up putting all major news outlets under government control, similar to what happens in North Korea. This is a serious worry, and it sounds scary for anyone who cares about a free press and getting information from different sources.
According to the NY Post, Reid talked about her concerns on the latest episode of The Breakfast Club podcast that came out on Tuesday. She claimed that the president is trying to take control of major media companies, which she thinks could turn every outlet into a government propaganda machine. If you’re concerned about getting different viewpoints, Reid’s prediction about this future media situation under presidential control is definitely troubling.
She didn’t hold back when making comparisons. Reid pointed directly to what Viktor Orban did in Hungary. She said, “That’s what Viktor Orban did in Hungary. Basically, all of the media is his perspective and only his perspective, and you can’t get an alternative.”
Trump’s media control strategy mirrors authoritarian tactics
Reid thinks the US is moving toward a situation where “you get this one perspective that just happens to be the same perspective as the president of the United States.” She warned that this kind of scenario is “a dangerous place, especially in this country, as diverse as this country is.” The country needs different views since there are so many opinions out there.
Reid explained to the podcast hosts how she believes President Trump is using this control. She claims he’s been using his official position and his relationships with certain media bosses to get powerful outlets to follow his lead. Her recent departure from MSNBC sparked controversy among viewers and media critics.
One big example of this supposed influence involves two huge companies: Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. Reid mentioned that the president has been directly involved in the planned merger between these two companies’ TV, film studios, and streaming divisions.
President Trump even spoke publicly about the situation before the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors over the weekend. He told reporters he would be involved in the final decision, saying that such a “deal could be a problem” because of how much market share Netflix would gain in the film and streaming world. Reid pointed out that Trump got involved partly because David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, wanted to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for his own company.
She described the intense lobbying happening, saying, “Yeah, and the Netflix president had to go have a personal conversation with Trump to get him to approve the deal because the Ellisons were also wanting to buy Warner, and they’re still lobbying to try to undo that deal so they can buy it.” This type of behind-the-scenes dealing, Reid argues, will lead to media power quickly gathering under President Trump and future presidents.
She said the end result will be “like five media companies” that “own everything from social media to regular media.” Reid thinks this is bad for the public, who won’t have other places to get information. Reid added that the future media scene will go back to how things used to be, saying, “It’s going to be like, back in the day there were three networks.
There’ll be three networks again, but they’ll all be in line with the government.” Reid has made several controversial statements about Trump recently, including her claims about his deportation plans.
Published: Dec 10, 2025 02:14 pm