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Nazi Germany, Russia, Hungary, Hong Kong...
We are in step one in a long-storied process of what Russia has termed "political technology." Seizing control of the information space is the number one priority for a new authoritarian regime, and that is because it works. And why does it work even though we think we can spot propaganda?
People won't necessarily believe overt propaganda, but their perception of possibilities is also shaped more than they think by what they don't hear. For example, Trump fired the person responsible for job numbers reporting yesterday. When Trump's fake replacement job numbers come out, people won't believe them, but they also will lack exposure to the real, negative data, overall reducing the legitimate, verifiable grounds for pessimism.
And that is the point of these moves. Eventually, the vibe voters and even moderate-information voters will reflect the effect of not hearing real negative news, even if they think they are savvy and can spot affirmative propaganda. Like in modern Russia, Trump's (and his eventual successor's - by choice or by death) support will actually organically grow, in addition to other plans they may have in the works to stay in power (like continued vote suppression, or inevitable and eventually, outright fraud).
I wish there was a way to easily break out of this.
Same!
Even worse: They're going to start creating 2 separate astroturfed campaigns to sell competing ideas, that both actually work in their favor. Which gives the illusion of choice to the uninformed public who lack all of the real context, like you mentioned. You're seeing it right now in the Republican Party over the whole Epstein Files issue. Half of them pretending to be outraged and the other half making excuses for Trump. When all of them are really just watering the issue down, and buying time while he continues to buttfuck the country.
It's a basic post-Soviet, Russian Propaganda tactic. And it's a shame we (the American people) never learned to spot it.
Why would we waste time learning about Russian propaganda when It Can't Happen Here™.