Cross Cultural Solidarity

History in the Service of Solidarity

Trump’s Authoritarian Assault on the Free Press

This page is part of a resource collection on far right extremism.

Image from the ACLU.

Books

David Enrich: Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful.

News: 2025

January 30.   David Folkenflik: Trump’s FCC chief opens investigation into NPR and PBS.

February 6.   David Folkenflik: Why CBS stands at the epicenter of Trump’s assault on the media.

February 12.   Corky Siemaszko: Trump’s anti-media rhetoric turns to action: The president has prevented The Associated Press from entering the Oval Office while his FCC goes after other media outlets.

February 12.   Benjamin Mullin: F.C.C. Chair Orders Investigation Into Comcast’s D.E.I. Practices: The investigation follows inquiries by the agency into NPR, PBS and CBS News.

February 18.   David Bauder: Trump says AP will be curtailed at the White House until it changes its style to Gulf of America.

February 24.   David Folkenflik: Court ruling lets White House ban on the Associated Press continue, for now.

February 24.   Adam Gabbatt: ‘A true free-speech emergency’: alarm over Trump’s ‘chilling’ attacks on media: Warning comes as FCC, chaired by Trump ally and Project 2025 author, orders investigations into US media groups.

March 15.   Edward Helmore: Trump sharpens attacks on US media as Voice of America employees put on administrative leave.

March 28.   Li Yuan: Trump Could Hand China a ‘Strategic Victory’ by Silencing Voice of America: Generations of Chinese, including our columnist, turned to U.S. government-run outlets for an education in democracy, rights and the English language.

April 8.   David Bauder: AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists.

April 9.   The Washington Post: Kari Lake to be detailed to State Department to dismantle VOA parent agency: The Arizona Republican will take on a new role aimed at shutting down the agency that oversees Voice of America, where she is a senior adviser.

April 9.   NPR: How the powerful are using lawsuit threats to silence media and ‘Murder the Truth.’

April 14.   The New York Times: White House to Ask Congress to Claw Back Funding From NPR and PBS.

April 30.   Katherine Jacobsen: Alarm bells: Trump’s first 100 days ramp up fear for the press, democracy.

May 2.   David Folkenflik: Trump says he’s ending federal funding for NPR and PBS. They say he can’t.

May 24.   Kristin Wright: Defense Secretary Hegseth puts new limits on press access at the Pentagon.

June 3.   David Folkenflik & Deirdre Walsh: Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting.

June 11.   Scott Nover: The U.S. granted these journalists asylum. Then it fired them. Three employees at Voice of America’s fact-checking unit fled Putin’s wrath and are now among the many journalists losing their jobs under Trump’s orders.

June 24.   Leila Fadel: Salvadoran journalist’s arrest in Georgia sets ‘alarming precedent.’

July 2.  David Folkenflik: CBS is the latest news giant to bend to Trump’s power.

July 2.  Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Lawfare Against the Free Press. He suggests prosecuting CNN, while pressuring a settlement out of CBS.

July 5.   Edward Helmore: Trump is waging war against the media – and winning.

July 10.  Brian Stelter: There’s a ‘severe shortage’ of local news across the US, new report Reveals.

July 18.   Elena Shao & Benjamin Mullin: Where Congress’s Cuts Threaten Access to PBS and NPR.

July 22.   David Gilbert: Everything Is a ‘False Flag’ Now: Conspiracy theories about so-called false-flag attacks have been around for decades. But as trust in media and public institutions craters, every single major news event is now being labeled as fake.

August 5.   Josh Dickey: More Than 2,300 WGA Members Blast Trump for ‘Authoritarian Assault’ on Free Press in Open Letter.

August 8.   Sean Rameswaram: The White House has a preferred alternative to PBS. It may already be in countless classrooms. How the right-wing network PragerU could fill the void left by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s defunding.

August 25.   David Folkenflik: Trump again calls for FCC to revoke ABC and NBC licenses.

August 30.   Maya Yang: More than 500 workers at Voice of America and other broadcasters to be laid off.

September 16.   David Folkenflik: Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against ‘New York Times’.

September 18.   PBS: Trump’s moves against media outlets mirror authoritarian approaches to silencing dissent.

September 18.   Lili Loofbourow: Kimmel’s suspension confirms what many suspected after Colbert’s cancellation: Media companies must punish Trump critics if they want their mega-mergers approved.

September 18.   The Guardian: Trump suggests punishing TV networks for ‘negative’ coverage amid outrage over Kimmel suspension.

September 19.   Domenico Montanaro: Kimmel’s suspension for Kirk comments sparks furor over free speech and censorship.

September 19.   Steve Inskeep: What FCC chair’s threats against ABC could mean for other media companies.

September 19.   Tamara Keith & Leila Fadel: Trump suggests government could take licenses of networks that are critical of him.

September 20.   Maya Yang: Pentagon demands journalists sign pledge not to gather certain information.

September 20.   Ken Bensinger: Pentagon Expands Its Restrictions on Reporter Access.

September 20.   Stephanie Kaloi: New York Times Rebukes Pentagon’s Reporter Restrictions: ‘At Stark Odds With the Constitutional Protections.’

September 20.   Scott Nover: News outlets, lawmakers condemn new Pentagon restrictions on journalists.