Right-wing influencers and conservative media personalities, often working in lockstep with Trump officials, have become a potent force in a widening campaign of retribution against perceived enemies of the Trump administration.

Empowered by ownership and technology shifts in the media and bolstered by financial incentives, these figures help discredit Trump's rivals and amplify his administration's talking points and false claims, blurring boundaries between official messaging and private-sector news and opinion.

This account is based on a review of more than 300 hours of podcasts and TV shows, thousands of social media posts and interviews with 48 people " including influencers, elected officials, political strategists and media owners " and an examination of court filings.

As Trump deploys National Guard troops into U.S. cities, influencers embedded with figures such as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have widely shared content echoing the administration's portrayal of Democratic-led cities as engulfed in chaos, even as law enforcement data shows violent crime decliningin most urban areas. A spokesperson for Noem declined to address the discrepancy. ...