What Ahsoka Tano would encourage us to do as journalists and citizens

“It’s every citizen’s duty to challenge their leaders, to keep them honest, and hold them accountable if they’re not,” said Ahsoka Tano in the sixth episode of the third season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” titled “The Academy.”

There has been a lot going on in this country for the last six months.

ICE Agents have been dispatched to arrest immigrants (most who have not done a crime), At the orders of President Donald Trump, Kari Lake (a former journalist turned politician) has gutted the Voice of America when she initially promised to steward it,  U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon (the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment) went along with Trump’s plan to cut funding for the Department of Education for the fiscal year 2026,  the United States sent fighter jets to fire missiles at Iran, and now, a bill has been passed and signed into law by Trump; a bill that will cut Medicaid medical coverage for millions of Americans and also cut funding for housing aid and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.

When I think of the last six months, I think of Ahsoka Tano’s quote from that episode from “Clone Wars.” 

As a journalist, I understand that quote all too well. As a journalist, it is my job to use my writing and my voice to “challenge our leaders, to keep them honest and hold them accountable if they’re not.” Ahsoka might have just said a part of an oath that all journalists should uphold.

This article is not an attack on Donald Trump and his staff, but it is one of many that is “challenging” them, asking them to be “honest,” and advising them to take accountability.

For instance, we saw thar Trump did promise that Medicaid would not be touched but, lo and behold, the Big Beautiful Bills will cause millions of Americans to lose health coverage.

If Ahsoka and Trump were in the same room, he would try to demean her like he has done to many others who dared to question the President (former CNN journalist Jim Acosta comes to mind). However, Ahsoka would stand firm and tell him that as a leader, he needs to take ownership of his promises to the American people. She would also tell him that he should allow a difference of opinion from those who do not agree with him.

Ahsoka would warn Trump, his staff, and Congress of the realities of a leadership that does not listen to the will of the people. She had not only felt the “death” of Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, she saw a government that she swore to defend and protect fall and, in its place, an ascendancy of dictatorship that silenced and bullied those they saw not agreeing with their agenda.

Ahsoka would encourage us to ask whether Trump is a democratic leader or an authoritative one. She would also ask those who passed the Big Beautiful Bill if having the health care of their constituents is what is best for them. She would also elaborate by asking if it is humane for the elderly and those with disabilities to lose their health coverage.  

Another question Ahsoka would encourage us to ask Trump and Congress is if the treatment of immigrants by ICE agents is also humane.

Furthermore, Ahsoka would inquire if it is in the best interest for the U.S Department of Education to cut funding to education and the colleges and universities that do important research.

And she would most certainly question why Kari Lake, a formerly respected Arizona journalist, would want to get rid of the Voice of American and cut funding for public media that has kept people informed.

I guarantee that those questions are going to be asked by journalists and citizens alike, if they have not already. And hopefully, Trump and Congress listen to the will of the people because if not, there is no doubt that someone who, not only listens but can relate to people’s adversity and their journey, will be voted into office.

What Ahsoka’s words remind us is that it is journalism’s job to keep those in power in check. It is why it is called the “Fourth Estate.” Without journalists, or the citizenry, to question our leaders, how will our they be scrutinized? How will people be informed of the current events or the good being done or the evils of this world?

Just take a good look at the Galactic Empire and the citizens under that government would tell you all you need to know.