Federal rebranding efforts as policy substitutes reveal a masterclass in political theater. Renaming centuries-old geography to serve executive vanity isn’t leadership—it’s rewriting history with a Sharpie. When truth becomes negotiable, the edits are always self-serving.

Denying press access over lexical disobedience turns the first amendment into a conditional privilege. Framing constitutional rights as revocable perks exposes a governance model built on compliance, not principle. The AP’s defiance isn’t obstinacy—it’s editorial spine in an era of state-sanctioned narratives.

Their style guide remains a relic of coherence, while others traffic in semantic surrender. Weaponizing “patriotism” to silence dissent isn’t new, but watching institutions play along still shocks. Democracy thrives on friction, not curated consensus.

Independent journalism isn’t a bug—it’s the last uncompromised feature.