Trump Withheld Food, World Yawned; Media Forgot History
When Donald Trump, according to The Hill, declared he'd withhold SNAP benefits during a government shutdown, the corporate media treated it as a novel, shocking move. Yet, the tactic of using essential services as political leverage against vulnerable populations is a well-worn playbook entry. It’s a page ripped directly from the ‘disaster capitalism’ handbook, a strategy perfected by exploiting
crises for political and economic advantage, often at the expense of the poor and marginalized. This isn't just about Republicans—governments, both foreign and domestic, have a long history of weaponizing aid. Consider the US's own history of economic sanctions that disproportionately harm civilians while failing to dislodge regimes. Or, on a global scale, how humanitarian aid is routinely
obstructed or manipulated in conflict zones by various actors, including governments, to achieve strategic objectives. The media's selective amnesia regarding these patterns only normalizes such brutal applications of power. Perhaps actual hunger isn't a headline-grabber unless a foreign adversary is doing the starving.