Press freedom in the US
Journalists working in the United States are facing extraordinary and intensifying pressures amid President Donald Trump’s second term. From frivolous lawsuits and serious restrictions on coverage, including the removal of experienced journalists from the White House and the Pentagon, to an unprecedented surge of immigration-related assaults on journalists by law enforcement, press freedom in the United States is under siege. While stating its support for the First Amendment, the Trump administration has created barriers to restrict journalists’ access to administration officials and instituted policy changes to control the spread of information.
Trump shrugged off Khashoggi’s killing. This is a new low.
The president has made little secret of his contempt for the truth – or for the press, writes CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg for The Guardian.
(Photo: AFP/Oliver Contreras)
CPJ in the news
- ICE may not be a secret police, but they sure look like one | The New York Times
- With reporters shot and roughed up, advocates question whether those covering protests are targets | Associated Press
- Journalists come under fire covering L.A. protests | The Washington Post
- Trump signs executive order to stop federal funding for NPR and PBS | NBC
- Analysis: Trump is trying to chill the investigative journalism that holds him to account | CNN
- Los Angeles protests: Confrontations and injuries with the press | FOX
- A popular Spanish-language journalist is in ICE Custody after being arrested at an Atlanta protest | Reason
- Journalists turn in access badges, exit Pentagon rather than agree to new reporting rules | France 24
- The attack on a journalist in Los Angeles reopens the debate on the use of ‘less lethal’ weapons to suppress demonstrations | El País
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, while departing the White House en route to Florida, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 3, 2025. (Photo: Reuters/Carlos Barria)
Alarm bells: Trump’s first 100 days ramp up fear for the press, democracy
The first 100 days of the Trump administration were marked by a flurry of executive actions that have created a chilling effect and have the potential to curtail media freedoms.
Advocating for a free press
- Media access | CPJ, SPJ, journalist groups call on Trump administration to restore AP access to White House
- Legal threats and retaliatory lawsuits | CPJ urges Paramount’s Shari Redstone to reconsider CBS lawsuit settlement
- Policing actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement | CPJ, Free Press lead call for journalist Mario Guevara’s release from ICE detention
- First Amendment rights | CPJ calls on FCC chair to respect First Amendment rights, press freedom
- Regulatory threats, funding and government contracting | CPJ supports legal efforts to protect RFE/RL, VOA after Trump executive order
CPJ and Reporters Without Borders coordinated a roving billboard through the streets of D.C. to urge Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr to take politics out of the FCC.
US Journalist Assistance Network
In collaboration with U.S.-based press freedom organizations specializing in digital safety, physical safety, and legal rights, the Committee to Protect Journalists has compiled resources to help journalists in the U.S. protect themselves against attacks on the press.
Journalists ask questions during a press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2025. (Photo: AFP/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
Safety resources
Journalists and media workers reporting across the United States have faced increasing threats to their safety and profession over the past several years, including retaliatory violence, lawsuits, and attacks by police and protesters. As a result, journalists on assignment in the U.S. may face forceful reprisals, including physical harassment, obstruction, and verbal abuse.
For individual safety advice, emergency assistance, or to enquire about safety training for you or your news organization, please email us at [email protected]. For additional physical, digital, and mental health safety resources visit Journalist Safety and Emergencies or text CPJ’s automated chatbot on WhatsApp at +1 206 590 6191.
What can journalists do to protect themselves?
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Featured photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press about deploying federal law enforcement agents in Washington, D.C., to bolster local police presence, in the Press Briefing Room at the White House on August 11, 2025. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)