Here’s a breakdown of the key developments:

1. Big Tech: Deregulation and Alignment

• Trump revoked Biden-era executive orders that required AI safety testing and transparency, allowing companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft to release models without federal oversight 
• Major tech firms such as Apple, Meta, Amazon, and SoftBank have shown support for Trump’s administration, investing heavily in AI infrastructure and data centers 
• The administration launched a $500 billion AI initiative called Stargate, partnering with OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to make the U.S. a global hub for AI 

2. Social Media and Censorship

• Trump signed an executive order in January 2025 to ban government involvement in social media content moderation, effectively ending federal pressure on platforms to combat misinformation.
• Platforms like Meta have eliminated third-party fact-checking, shifting to user-driven moderation systems (e.g., Community Notes), which critics say could turn platforms into “disinformation battlegrounds.” 
• Trump’s stance reflects a belief that content moderation equals censorship, and his policies aim to maximize platform freedom, even at the cost of misinformation risks.

3. Big Media: Hostility and Defunding

• The Project 2025 blueprint, closely aligned with Trump’s Agenda 47, proposes defunding public broadcasters like PBS and NPR, accusing them of liberal bias and misinformation. 
• It also suggests reexamining media access to the White House, potentially restricting press freedoms and favoring outlets aligned with the administration. 
• These moves reflect a broader antagonism toward mainstream media, which Trump has repeatedly labeled as “the enemy of the people.”

4. Big Business: Tax Cuts and Deregulation

• Trump has proposed cutting corporate taxes from 21% to 15%, aiming to stimulate domestic investment and growth.h 
• He revoked the federal EV production mandate, arguing it stifled innovation, and shifted focus back to fossil fuels, aligning with traditional automakers. 
• His administration declared a national energy emergency to support AI data centers, prioritizing fossil fuel infrastructure over clean energy. 

5. Free Speech as a Central Theme

• Free speech has become the cornerstone of Trump’s tech and media policy, with executive orders and public statements emphasizing the need to eliminate “ideological bias” in AI and media. 
• AI companies like OpenAI have adapted their messaging to align with this narrative, promoting “individual freedoms” and resisting content restrictions 

6. Misinformation Risks: Key Impacts

7. Elimination of Government Oversight

• Trump’s executive order banning federal involvement in social media moderation removed mechanisms that previously helped limit misinformation.
• Agencies like the CDC, FBI, and DHS are no longer allowed to flag false content to platforms, even during public health or national security crises.

8. Platform Deregulation

• Major platforms (Meta, X, YouTube) have scaled back or eliminated third-party fact-checking.
• User-driven moderation systems (e.g., Community Notes) are now the primary defense against misinformation, which can be slow, inconsistent, and easily gamed.

9. AI Content Risks

• Deregulation of AI safety testing means companies can release powerful models without safeguards against generating false or misleading content.
• AI-generated misinformation—especially deepfakes and synthetic news—can spread rapidly with little accountability.

10. Political Polarization

• The administration’s framing of content moderation as “censorship” has politicized the issue, making bipartisan cooperation on misinformation nearly impossible.
• Media outlets and tech platforms are increasingly aligned with ideological camps, thereby reducing trust and increasing the prevalence of echo chambers.

11. Reduced Transparency

• The rollback of transparency mandates means users and watchdogs have less insight into how platforms handle misinformation.
• Algorithms and moderation policies are now more opaque, making it harder to track or correct false narratives.

Conclusion

Rather than curbing the influence of Big Tech, Media, or Business, Trump’s policies have empowered them—but with a strong ideological bent toward deregulation, free speech absolutism, and anti-censorship. This shift has led to reduced government control, increased corporate autonomy, and a heightened risk of misinformation and bias, particularly in the realms of AI and social media. This should underscore the reader’s role in public scrutiny and engagement in these critical areas.

Under Trump’s second term, the acceleration of misinformation risks due to a combination of deregulation, ideological framing of censorship, and reduced transparency is still a pressing issue. While these policies promote free speech, they also create fertile ground for disinformation campaigns, especially in politically charged or crisis situations. We need to be vigilant.