Tag

#press-freedom

Violations of freedom of the press, including restrictions on media access, retaliation against journalists, suppression of reporting, and government interference with editorial independence.

6 incidents

Updated May 1, 2025 Press Freedom
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern Ongoing

Second-Term Press Attacks: AP Banned, Journalists Arrested, Press Pool Restricted

The AP's exclusion from the White House briefing room — a credentialed, nonpartisan wire service that had covered every presidency since 1865 — was triggered by the AP's editorial decision to continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' rather than 'Gulf of America,' the name Trump had issued an executive order to adopt. AP's position was that it followed geographic naming standards and could not adopt a contested renaming while it was politically motivated. The exclusion was condemned by press freedom organizations as the most direct government intervention in editorial content by excluding a news organization from access on the basis of its editorial decisions.

Sources
4
press-freedomAPsecond-termFirst-AmendmentGulf-of-Mexico
Updated February 26, 2021 Foreign Policy & War
War Crime / Crime Against Humanity

Khashoggi Assassination Cover-Up: Trump's Protection of Saudi Arabia from Accountability

Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a 15-person hit squad sent from Riyadh. The CIA concluded with high confidence that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally ordered the killing. Trump publicly sided with Saudi Arabia over his own intelligence agencies, blocked sanctions on MBS, and used the murder as leverage in arms sales negotiations.

Sources
5
khashoggisaudi-arabiaextrajudicial-killingjournalistpress-freedom
Updated February 26, 2021 Foreign Policy & War
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Khashoggi Assassination: Trump Defends MBS, Suppresses CIA Findings, Blocks Accountability

Khashoggi, a permanent U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. He was killed and his body dismembered by a 15-member Saudi team that included members of MBS's personal security detail. Turkish intelligence recorded audio of the killing and shared it with the CIA. The CIA concluded MBS ordered the operation. Trump's November 2018 statement defending Saudi Arabia cited the CIA assessment as uncertain and emphasized arms sales: '$450 billion of jobs, 450 billion dollars.' Trump resisted congressional pressure for Magnitsky Act sanctions against MBS. The administration characterized MBS's culpability as inconclusive despite CIA findings.

Sources
4
KhashoggiMBSSaudi-Arabiafirst-termforeign-policy
Updated February 15, 2019 Foreign Policy & War
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Khashoggi Assassination: Trump Covered for Saudi Crown Prince Despite CIA Conclusion

Khashoggi, a permanent U.S. resident and Washington Post contributor, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain marriage documents and was killed by a Saudi hit squad. Turkish intelligence recordings documented the killing. The CIA assessed with high confidence that MBS had ordered it. Trump's response was to prioritize the Saudi relationship over accountability: he repeatedly questioned the CIA's conclusion, cited a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, and issued an unprecedented presidential statement that effectively exonerated MBS by saying even if he was responsible, the U.S. would stand by Saudi Arabia. A bipartisan Senate resolution holding MBS responsible was passed; Trump threatened to veto related legislation.

Sources
4
KhashoggiSaudi-ArabiaMBSpress-freedomfirst-term
Updated November 3, 2020 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

First-Term Attacks on Press Freedom: 'Enemy of the People' and Institutional Delegitimization

Trump used the phrase 'enemy of the people' to describe mainstream media more than 30 times, echoing language used by Stalin, Mao, and other authoritarian leaders. His administration attempted to ban reporters from press briefings, challenged broadcast licenses in apparent retaliation for critical coverage, encouraged legal changes to make it easier to sue journalists, and called for investigations of reporters. International press freedom organizations documented the global impact: Trump's rhetoric gave cover to authoritarian leaders from Turkey to the Philippines to justify imprisoning journalists.

Sources
5
press-freedomenemy-of-the-peoplemediarule-of-lawfirst-term
Updated November 1, 2020 Press Freedom
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Press Freedom: 'Enemy of the People' and Systematic Media Attacks

Trump's attacks on the press were systematic and escalating: he labeled specific organizations (CNN, NBC, the New York Times, Washington Post) 'fake news,' called reporters 'enemies of the people,' suggested revoking NBC's broadcast license, threatened to revoke press credentials, and cheered when supporters physically confronted journalists at rallies. Body-slammed a reporter (Greg Gianforte in Montana) and Trump endorsed him. Reporters covering Trump rallies documented being surrounded by hostile crowds. The Annenberg Foundation documented 2,000+ attacks on press freedom during the Trump presidency. Authoritarian governments around the world cited Trump's 'fake news' rhetoric when expelling journalists or restricting press access.

Sources
4
press-freedomenemy-of-the-peoplefirst-termmedia-attacksfake-news