Off the Top of My Head

By Paul Murray

U.S. President Donald Trump is brilliant at grabbing media attention and manipulating public opinion; it may be his only real skill.

He constantly throws out bizarre or shocking statements—whether it’s claiming the United States will “take over Gaza and build a Trump Gaza Plaza,” suggesting “America should buy Greenland,” “incorporate Canada into the United States,” “taking back the Panama Canal,” or claiming, without evidence, that immigrant Haitians are are “eating people’s pets.” These comments trigger media storms and distract journalists, politicians, and the public by creating incredulous outrage and anger. Trump is the media circus conductor and he’s drumming up a symphony of distraction.

While everyone is debating the latest incredible media concoction, real decisions are being made behind the scenes. Policies are changed, officials are replaced, institutions are quietly weakened, and his authoritative position is bolstered—all with little scrutiny because the news services are obsessed with Trump’s latest scandalous postulations and are not reporting what is actually occurring.

While Trump keeps everyone busy with media chaos, the world’s richest man, the unelected Elon Musk, has been removing key figures from influential positions. By using his Twitter (now X) platform with support from the POTUS on “Truth” Social and aligning himself with Trump’s political network, he has been able to influence who gets heard and who doesn’t.

The recent resignations of top officials in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), like John Keller, Kevin Driscoll, Rob Heberle, Jenn Clarke and Marco Palmieri, only make it easier—Trump and Musk no longer need to fire people who might resist them; they can just replace them with loyalists.

Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, resigned on Thursday rather than abide by Trump-appointed Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove’s order to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Bove ordered Sassoon to dismiss the case on Monday, a move that legal experts consider an effort by Trump administration officials to control the prosecutor’s office, which has long prided itself on political independence.

Trump claims ambivalence, happily appointing temporary replacements to gauge whether they are willing to do his bidding, saying, “We have acting people. The reason they are acting is because I’m seeing how I like them, and I’m liking a lot of them very, very much. There are people who have done a bad job, and I let them go. If you call that turmoil, I don’t call that turmoil. I say that is being smart. That’s what we do.” He’s running the country like “The Apprentice” and he’s getting very good ratings.

This kind of institutional purge is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. By eliminating independent thinkers and replacing them with allies, they ensure that policies, regulations, and legal decisions are made in their favour, without the checks and balances that usually prevent abuse of power.

Social media algorithms play a crucial role in this strategy. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram and TikTok don’t just show people random news—they carefully tailor content based on what they already believe. For left-leaning users, social media prioritises stories that criticise Trump, reinforcing their fears about his return to power. Meanwhile, right-leaning users are fed pro-Trump content and conspiracy theories that discredit mainstream media and government institutions. This deepens divisions and fuels distrust, making people less likely to find common ground or unite against real threats to democracy.

The divide-and-conquer strategy isn’t just limited to the United States—it’s also playing out on the world stage. With Trump back at the helm, he has hinted at weakening NATO, questioning U.S. support for Ukraine, and reshaping global diplomacy in ways that favour authoritarian leaders. Trump appointees like Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defence and J.D. Vance as Vice President, the United States appears to be taking a hard turn towards isolationism, undermining long-standing alliances and creating instability that benefits autocrats like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

By insulting European allies, negotiating Ukraine’s future without President Zelensky, and stirring up uncertainty in global markets, the Trump-Musk alliance is setting the stage for a world where power is concentrated in the hands of a few—those who know how to manipulate chaos for their own gain. The real danger isn’t just Trump’s wild statements or Musk’s quiet takeovers—it’s the long-term impact of their combined strategy.

By keeping the public divided, distracting the media, and removing institutional safeguards, they are reshaping not only the United States but global politics. If left unchecked, their influence could lead to a world where democracy is eroded, power is centralised, and the public is too distracted and polarised to resist.

However, it is also important to recognise that the recent surge of progressive policies and cultural shifts may have moved too fast for some segments of society, causing a backlash. The solution is not to swing to the opposite extreme—embracing authoritarianism and dismantling institutions—but to find balance. True progress requires moving forward, not endlessly swinging from one extreme to another.

If we allow ourselves to be divided, we risk playing into the hands of those who seek control through chaos. The question is: Will people, DOJ officials, bureaucrats, and Democrats (and Republicans) wake up to this strategy before it’s too late to prevent this global power grab?

Betrand Russell: “First, they fascinate the fools. Then, they muzzle the intelligent.”