Building an information war room

Independents, Republicans, and Democrats must build a centralized messaging and media command center. It must be disciplined and unafraid of doing it what it takes to shape the narrative.

We know from the autocracy experts Timothy Snyder and Ann Applebaum that autocrats sell a certain narrative to their people. It can be a “savior” storyline—only I can fix your problems— and they repeat it over and over in all forms of media. They use bombast, theatrics, pageantry, and disinformation.

Trump has been successful in persuading enough of the country, now twice, that he alone can fix people’s problems, get the economy on track, and crack down on illegal and legal immigration. He was the “change” candidate in 2024 who spoke in all superlatives like any good salesman.

The question is where is the strategic communications and branding savvy of opposition? What narrative is it selling?

In elite media there is significant opposition to America’s creeping autocracy. The Atlantic, the Bulwark podcast, the NYT op-ed page, Steve Schmidt’s Substack, and Rachel Maddow all do a relentless job in explaining what’s going on and what to do about it. Here’s the problem: Ten maybe 20 percent of Americans, at best–and I’m making this number up– are hearing the opposition’s voice. Eighty percent are not. Many aren’t paying attention to politics.

Where is the mass counter-campaign that hopes to reach half or more of the country? The ideological battle between democracy and autocracy is the biggest issue advocacy effort of our lifetimes, yet Democrats’—and democracy’s—decibel level oscillates between like a 5, which seems the resting position, and a 9, like this past weekend at the savvy No Kings protests. The volume should reach and stay at 11, in a perfect world.

Individual Democrats, including the stars in the party like AOC, JB Pritzker, and grassroots protesters do plenty that drive social media. But there’s no always on daily campaign, as far as I can tell, that‘a blanketing the nation, reminding Americans of what’s at stake.

Strategic recommendations

Here are five things the full anti-autocracy coalition, which includes independents and Republicans, can do.

1. Make democracy’s voice louder

Conservative and liberal donors should fund a $100 million national campaign appealing to Americans’ civic roots of democracy, economic prosperity, and a brighter future, while also firmly opposing an autocratic ideology. Appeal to American’s civic roots, asking everyone which path do we want to go down because right now we’re at a crossroads. I’m talking about a major ad blitz on social media, TV, podcasts, billboards, local TV news, Spanish-language news. Do some P.R. for the Constitution.

Trump and his people have the bully pulpit and suck up all of the oxygen. They’ve also built a wildly effective MAGA media machine. They are getting an authoritarian message out everyday. And we know the president manipulates many in the national press, who continue to believe it’s their job to give both sides, which means amplifying a story of authoritarianism. (I’m less concerned, however, about the national press, given their diminution in influence over public opinion.)

2. Build infrastructure at nominal cost for earned media

Democrats in particular should build a shadow press briefing room and hold daily news conferences for reporters, social media influencers, and podcasters. No Democrat over age 65 or 70 can ever be at the podium. The party needs a new brand which means a new face. Two strong communicators – AOC and Pete Buttiegieg, Wes Moore and JB Pritkzer– can jointly hold the daily briefings. (Others include Jason Crow, Gretchen Whitmer, Jasmine Crockett, Jon Osloff, Chris Murphy, former GOP strategist Steve Schmidt, Liz Cheney, etc). The key here will be to get out of the D.C. headspace completely. Don’t talk about Congress and don’t use the left’s dictionary. Use plain speak. Paint an alternative portrait of America, the “beautiful tomorrow” touted by Anat Shenker-Osorio in values and in very broad strokes on policy. The economy is the focus. Core values of freedom, equality, and prosperity are the focus. Say stuff that puts the White House on the defensive.

3. Tell the personal stories of harm

Unlike the media operation above, this suggestion involves everyday people. Put a dozen legal immigrants – those on work visas, student visas, etc, and American citizens born here— on a stage to illustrate their contributions to this country. All can recount why they chose to come to America in the first place and why they viscerally oppose random and illegal deportations. This would drive Stephen Miller bonkers. (And when the panel is over, you’ll need to get the immigrants to a safe house for a while, just in case.) The same kind of media event can be with any “out” group frowned upon by this administration.

4. Protests

Keep them going and going (even though I know it’s not easy; people are tired.) The protests—or more accurately the social and news media coverage of the protests — are for the tens of millions who are concerned about what Trump’s doing but didn’t attend. They are the audience.

5. Stories from 75 million people

75 million people voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. People ask all of the time, what can I do besides go to protests? A new answer is to post an authentic video on social media of how you feel–and not in an angry way. Anger turns people off. Your audience is not fellow progressives. Your audience is the tens of millions of Americans–mostly reasonable, busy people on neither extreme. I might suggest, if polling confirms, to speak against the ideology of autocracy and don’t even mention Trump. Part of the battle here is getting fact-based information– embedded in your own authentic story– to people who tune this stuff out or are stuck in an echo chamber.

In a 2022 paper, Erica Chenoweth, the Harvard professor who has put forth the 3.5% theory, outlined the need to push back on autocracy with “a nerve center for winning the information war” and “a multi-pronged communication system to engage, inform, and inspire people from all walks to invest in and expand American democracy.” The time for building a centralized—this is key— and disciplined and strategic war room was yesterday.