Big tech is poised to exploit President Donald Trump's disdain for the media and his apparent disappointment with Australia to push back against the Albanese government's proposed News Bargaining Incentive, according to Bruce Wolpe, a non-resident senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre.
The initiative, designed to compel tech platforms to compensate Australian media companies for using their news content, faces a formidable opponent in Trump, who has long labeled mainstream media "the enemy of the people" and dismissed critical reporting as "fake news." Wolpe argues that this hostility, combined with Trump's frustration over Australia's refusal to join the US embargo on Iran, creates a favorable environment for tech oligarchs to lobby against the tax.
"The president's contempt for the media is explosive and his 'disappointment' with Australia apparent. For Meta, Google and Oracle, it's a powerful combination," Wolpe writes.
Trump's animosity toward the press was on full display during a contentious interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, where he erupted at journalist Norah O'Donnell for quoting from the manifesto of an alleged shooter. "You're horrible people," Trump said, adding, "You shouldn't be reading that on 60 Minutes, you're a disgrace." His attacks have extended overseas, including a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over its documentary on the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
Earlier this year, ABC journalist John Lyons faced Trump's ire during a White House scrum. When Lyons identified himself as from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Trump retorted, "Oh, the Australian – you're hurting Australia. In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me."
Wolpe notes that the tech companies most affected by the proposed tax—Meta, Google, and TikTok—are deeply invested in the Trump presidency. Meta has committed $600 billion to US technology and AI infrastructure, Google has pledged $68 billion to data centers, and TikTok, now restructured with Oracle controlling its algorithm, has its CEO meeting with Trump to finalize its future. The presence of top tech executives at the White House state dinner for King Charles underscores their influence.
"The tech companies lobbying in Washington is exceptionally effective. They will be all over the Senate committee on foreign relations when it holds hearings to confirm David Bart as the new US ambassador to Australia," Wolpe predicts. "We can almost hear it now: 'Mr Bart, where do you stand on the new media tax proposed by the Australian government?'"
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the initiative, stating, "Journalists are the lifeblood of Australia's media sector, playing a vital role in keeping communities informed about the news that matters to them. Local news matters to local communities and these stories can't be told without Australian journalists. My government will always back Australian journalists and Australian news."
However, Wolpe warns that Trump's support for tech giants could undermine these efforts. "The door to the Oval Office is wide open for the tech oligarchs to lobby the president on this issue. It will not be a heavy lift."
