Former President Donald Trump is ramping up his campaign against media outlets that report stories he doesn’t like — even those traditionally seen as allies.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal published a story detailing Trump’s past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including a letter Trump allegedly sent Epstein on his 50th birthday containing the line, “may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump’s reaction was swift: he admitted he tried to kill the story and is now suing the paper and its parent company.
“I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off.”
In another post, Trump claimed Murdoch had promised to “take care of it,” but failed. The result? A $10 billion libel suit filed by Trump against The Journal, Murdoch, and the reporters involved — despite Murdoch’s long-standing role as a Trump ally and the owner of Fox News.
An Unprecedented Move Against the Press
“It’s unprecedented to have a sitting president file a lawsuit against a newsroom,” said Tim Richardson of PEN America, a free speech advocacy group.
The lawsuit is just the latest escalation in what critics say is Trump’s broader campaign to intimidate, punish, and silence dissent — not just in the press, but across institutions.
Trump has long had a litigious relationship with the media, but this new wave, marked by open threats and government pressure, has intensified since his return to the White House.
Retaliation, Pressure, and Federal Power
When The Associated Press refused to adopt Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” he barred the outlet’s reporters from White House access — triggering an ongoing legal battle.
After The Wall Street Journal ran the Epstein piece, the White House blocked one of its reporters from covering presidential events. Similarly, HuffPost journalist S.V. Dáte was previously excluded from the press pool before being reinstated.
In December, Trump sued Iowa pollster Ann Selzer and The Des Moines Register over a poll that showed him trailing Kamala Harris before the election. He won the state anyway — but still pursued legal action.
The administration also weaponized the FCC. In February, the agency launched an investigation into San Francisco’s KCBS radio station after it aired reports about immigration raids. FCC Chair Brendan Carr questioned whether such coverage met the station’s “public interest obligations.”
Punishing Dissent — Even in Pop Culture
The pressure extends beyond traditional news outlets. CBS’s 60 Minutes came under fire after airing what Trump called a “deceptively edited” interview with Harris during the 2024 campaign. Trump sued CBS’s parent company, Paramount, which ultimately settled for $16 million. The settlement came as Paramount sought FCC approval for a merger with Skydance Media — a move some saw as a quid pro quo.
Three days after CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert mocked the settlement on air, the network canceled The Late Show. Executives cited financial reasons, but Trump celebrated the decision: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” he posted on Truth Social.
“Trump’s goal is to have a chilling effect,” said ACLU senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff. “If institutions see that pushing back has consequences, many will simply stop trying.”
Attacking Higher Education and the Legal System
Trump’s efforts to reshape American discourse extend to law firms and universities. Since January, he has signed executive orders targeting legal firms that bring cases against his administration — threatening them with restrictions unless they offer pro bono services aligned with his agenda.
Colleges and universities haven’t been spared either. Trump has tied federal funding to conservative reforms — pressuring schools to prioritize right-leaning students, hire Trump-aligned faculty, and eliminate programs focused on race and justice. Columbia University recently agreed to a $220 million settlement with the administration. Harvard, meanwhile, continues to fight back.
Freedom of Speech in the Crosshairs
“Trump is basically saying, if you say something I don’t like, I’m going to punish you,” Leventoff added. That tactic is becoming more common — and more brazen.
On The View, co-host Joy Behar recently mocked Trump, calling him jealous of Barack Obama. When Entertainment Weekly asked the White House for a response, the administration issued a veiled threat: Behar “should self-reflect on her own jealousy of President Trump… before her show is the next to be pulled off air.”
“That’s intimidation,” said PEN’s Richardson. “The View may be entertainment, but the message is the same: criticize Trump, and you’re a target.”
Global Parallels — and Growing Warnings
Experts warn that Trump’s methods mirror those of authoritarian leaders he’s praised — like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. In both countries, the government routinely silences critical press through intimidation, legal pressure, and violence.
“These are classic strongman tactics,” said George Washington University professor Peter Loge. “Every president complains about bad press. But Trump is actively trying to dismantle it.”
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat, called the approval of the Paramount merger “a dark chapter.”
“It sends a signal that power, not principle, now dictates policy. That’s not how democracy works,” she said.
The Stakes
As Trump continues using the tools of government to intimidate institutions — from newsrooms to universities — the question isn’t just about press freedom. It’s about whether American democracy can withstand a presidency bent on crushing dissent.
“This isn’t just a media problem,” Richardson said. “It’s a national one. And it’s only getting worse.”
