Kathrine Frich
The president plans to share newly declassified intelligence related to the 2020 race.
When a head of state prepares a prime-time television broadcast, the entire media landscape shifts to pay attention.
Television networks usually rush to secure the highest viewing numbers possible for such massive political moments.
However, an upcoming national broadcast is sparking an intense battle over whether it should even be allowed on the airwaves.
Deeply worried
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is urging major television networks to pull the plug on an upcoming speech by Donald Trump. A prime-time address is scheduled for Thursday. The White House says it will focus on election issues.
The progressive lawmaker believes the broadcast will simply serve as a massive megaphone for unverified claims.
She is worried. In her view, media networks hold a clear moral responsibility to protect the public.
Speaking to MeidasTouch cited by Digi24, the New York representative made her stance clear. She said, “He’s basically doing a made-for-TV broadcast about election fraud and conspiracy theories,”
She insists that networks often get early access to scripts and should use that foresight to block the event.
She added, “I don’t think we should be contributing to the platforming of lies about our elections. Many news outlets oftentimes may receive transcripts [in advance], and I think we have an ethical obligation not to air things that undermine our elections that are not rooted in evidence and in fact.”
Something really big
The highly anticipated speech is set to air across the country at 9 p.m. EST on Thursday. A White House official told Reuters that the event will reveal declassified intelligence.
The report notes that the president intends to highlight specific flaws within voting hardware. He refused to give details.
He expressed massive confidence about the impact of the upcoming revelation. Trump said, “I’d rather save it, it will concern [election machines]. It’s really big news. It’s really, really big news.”
The president views the speech as a crucial turning point for national security. He added, “Our country has to shape up. What we’re going to be talking about on Thursday, it doesn’t get bigger,”
Flaws and foreign threats
An anonymous administration official confirmed that the speech will focus on voting machine flaws that could allow foreign cyber intrusions. The president also plans to share newly declassified intelligence related to the 2020 race.
Multiple election experts suggest the timing is highly strategic. They believe the president is building a narrative to challenge the upcoming midterm elections this November if his party faces losses.
The broadcast arrives alongside a fresh push for the SAVE America Act. The controversial legislation would force every citizen to show strict proof of citizenship, like a passport, before they can register to vote.
Sources: Digi24, Reuters, MeidasTouch
