2025: AN ANNUS HORRIBILIS FOR DEMOCRACY AND A FREE PRESS — BUT THERE IS HOPE

As a former broadcaster, as we approach the end of 2025, I can safely say that I’ve never experienced such a terrible year for democracy. And maybe especially for the free press.

We’ve all watched it in plain sight: the U.S. President showing us his true face, and his gangster alliance of fellow racists, narcissists, autocrats and kleptocrats.

The White House now openly mocks democracies, and publishes a security strategy threatening to reduce Canada to a vassal state. It welcomes those countries that pay economic tribute, or are conducting billion dollar business deals with his relatives, or gift him a $400 million jumbo jet, as per Qatar.

Consistent with that trudge, the Trump Administration intimidates independent journalists with lawsuits, threatens broadcasters with costly regulatory displeasure, extracts ridiculous cash penalties from publishers, and radically reduces access for legitimate journalists in the Pentagon, the White House and elsewhere.

In “Trump World,” journalists should sign a pledge promising not to carry out investigative journalism. The good and principled ones walk out, including Fox.

Moreover, in 2017, when James Comey was head of the FBI, Trump invited him to a private White House dinner and asked him to back off from the investigation into Russian election interference.

In Comey’s words, “The encounter left me shaken. I had never seen anything like it in the Oval Office. As I found myself thrust into the Trump orbit, I was having flashbacks to my earlier career as a prosecutor of the mob. The silent oath of assent. The boss in complete control. The lying about all things large and small”.

In other words, politics as a kind of gangster shakedown.

And what followed?

Trump fired Comey, and invited two high level Putin operatives to the White House to boast about it (including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Putin’s hard man on Ukraine), and then handed over American intelligence documents to the Russians.

All done in plain sight of shrugging media, Congress, and intelligence networks.

Now, Trump has weaponized the Department of Justice to pursue a likely bogus criminal case against Comey.

Importantly, Trump has a well documented 40+ year history with Russian bank loans and dark money, many of which are money-laundering efforts that lead directly to Russian crime bosses.

Connecting the corruption dots, former CIA national intelligence officer Glenn Carle concluded, “My assessment is that Trump is working directly for the Russians.”

No kidding.

And today who are Trump’s international envoys regarding Ukraine, Gaza, etc.?

His sons, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, all of whom are real-estate moguls. There is no James Baker or Henry Kissinger in that mix, no people who grasp the stark divide between real-estate plays and war and peace.

Instead America has suspended its traditional values of democracy, justice for all, and the rule of law in favour of being a “neutral arbiter” trying to profit from both sides of the deal!

So what to do?

Well, at this time of year, many of us celebrate the birth of a Child.

A Child who brought hope for peace, kindness and joy. As all children do in some wondrous way.

In the sense that every young spirit brings hope that we can prevail over our fears and challenges, let’s aspire to make 2026 a year of resisting the selfish, the reckless, and the haters.

Fred Rogers (of CBC and PBS fame) once advised his young TV viewers to “look for the helpers,” focus on those people who heal, protect and rescue, including caring neighbours and good friends.

Maybe that timeless reminder from “Mr. Rogers,” that even in dark times we might be–and find–agents of goodness, helping hands and caring community can help us find a path to better days. Fingers crossed!

Bill Roberts, Sophiasburg