Trump's attacks on the media in his first two months in office
We’re nearly two months into the second Trump regime, and like other wanna-be dictators (such as Viktor Orbán, as chronicled in Democracy Noir), he’s been taking seriously concerning actions to curb press freedom in the United States to put the American people in the dark about his administration’s misdeeds.
If you’d like to help brainstorm actions to oppose these moves, join our Media Accountability and Balance team (#media-accountability on Slack).
Feb 03, 2025 - Sanders Urges 'Independent Press That Reports the Truth Without Fear' of Trump Retribution
"If major media outlets succumb to intimidation from the Trump administration, the First Amendment is in serious danger."
Source: Common Dreams
Feb 19, 2025 - One month of Trump: Press freedom under siege
“On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.” As RSF explained at the time, the executive order promoted a perverse vision of freedom of expression that endangers press freedom. Since signing that order, the Trump administration has systematically undermined the news media’s First Amendment rights. However, in Donald Trump’s war on the press, the American people are the ultimate victim, robbed of access to reliable information about their government”
Source: Reporters Without Borders
Feb 26, 2025 - Outcry as White House starts dictating which journalists can access Trump
“Fox News correspondent among those to decry move that journalists say will ‘tear at independence of a free press”
Source: The Guardian
March 15, 2025 - Trump sharpens attacks on US media as Voice of America employees put on administrative leave
“President denounced CNN and MSNBC as ‘illegal’ and instructed VoA’s parent agency to be eliminated,”
Source: AP
March 18, 2025 - How FCC Chairman Carr Has Fueled Trump's Authoritarian Takeover
“The day Donald Trump began his second term, Brendan Carr became the FCC chairman. From the start, Carr has exploited his government perch to issue threatening letters, initiate investigations, threaten to revoke broadcast licenses and even stall merger-review processes based on newsrooms’ editorial decisions.”
Source: Free Press