The Post-Truth Presidency Returns

Trump’s return to the Oval Office is more than a political comeback, it is evidence of how much post-truth has changed since 2016. The narrative then was that Trump rode a wave of misinformation straight into the White House. But in 2025, this is the story of a candidate whose every claim, and every scandal has been broadcast and dissected for nearly a decade. What’s changed? Populist leaders like Trump aren’t just relying on disinformation to win elections; they use it as a governing strategy. And now, with powerful allies at their side in the form of tech moguls.

Guest Editor: Saul Newman, Professor of Politics, Goldsmiths University London

Guests: Joao Magalhaes, Assistant Professor in Media, Politics and Democracy at the Center for Media and Journalism Studies, University of Groningen & Diara J. Townes, engagement journalist and research consultant for the Disinfo Defense League, a project of the Media Democracy Fund.

 
Host: Lucas Proto, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Production: Franco Delle Donne (Rombo Podcasts)