The way the Left is handling Mahmoud Khalils caseframing it as a legal and human rights issuecompletely misses the broader media narrative going on. For Trumps team, Khalil has beenideal candidate to monopolizemedia coverage across the political spectrum. His name, his status asa Green Card holder,his affiliation with Columbia Universitythe birthplace of the modern anti-genocide movementall amplify the administrations message: Were not targeting American citizens, just those who pose a threat.

The lefts response is built around three arguments that, in this context, are largely irrelevant. Consider the media narratives emerging in these headlines:"Can Trump Legally Deport Mahmoud Khalil? What About Free Speech?";"Absolutely Unacceptable and Illegal: Lawmakers Demand Release of Mahmoud Khalil from ICE Jail."

While these legal and ethical questions are important, they are easily dismissed by those seeking to justify the detention and they do nothing to counter the discriminatory propaganda machine that the admonstration has unleashed. Arguments about free speech, human rights, and legality, while sound, are often countered with points of fact,historical precedents, and assertions of national security. I could, for instance,dismiss all three in under a minute:

• Free Speech: Mahmoud exercised free speech and led protests. But as we all know, free speech comes with consequences.
• Human Rights: Mahmoud has a lawyer handling his case.
• Legality: The U.S. has a long history of detaining individuals without due process. Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps during WWII. People have been held in Guantnamo Bay for decades without trial. The legality argument is nothing new.

A New Strategy

Instead of engaging in legal and moral debates that fail to capture mainstream attention, lets play the media game as it should be played. Heres a proposal, for instance:

Offer Trumps team a deal: release Mahmoud, and well pause our campaign against Tesla for a month.Refuse to release him, and we'll double down:protest in front of Tesla stores, encourage Tesla workers to strike, push Congress to block funding to Musk-affiliated companies, and pressure international governmentslike Polandto reject Starlink contracts.

This is the kind of spectacle the media thrives on. It reflects thespirit embodied byActUp in the 80sbold, disruptive, and impossible to ignore.

At the same time, we must reframe Mahmoud Khalil not as a victim, but as anAmerican herostanding up for justice like many before him. The struggles of women for the right to vote, the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr., the activism of Native leaders like Dennis Banks and Russell Meansthese movementschallenged the status quo, demanded a more just society, andshaped America. By doing so, they made it possible for the U.S. to claim the moral authority to preach democracy and human rights abroad.

As has been demonstrated, the current political landscape is heavily influenced by media spectacle.As I wrote in aprevious article, "Trump is the figure who successfully merged reality TV with politics. With decades of experience in broadcasting and media, he understands that what is ‘real' is what happens live, in front of cameras. Nothing else truly exists outside of that space."

Mahmoud Khalils case is not just a legal battleits a media battle. And it must be foughtlive, on camera, in a way that educates and mobilizes the public.

David Andersson