A Democracy Drive Thread
Lawsuits, paid settlements, license threats, an FCC enforcer, and barred reporters — a sustained campaign to punish coverage he dislikes.
A sitting president, on the public record, working to punish news organizations for reporting he dislikes — through defamation suits, paid settlements funneled to his library, threats to pull broadcast licenses, an aggressive FCC, and barred reporters. This thread tracks that campaign in chronological order, with sources. Many of these are facts he simply failed to suppress; the cumulative weight is the point. (Related: the defunding of NPR and PBS in Project 2025, and the settlement money in How Trump Profited from the Presidency.)
September 10, 2024
In his own words
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert responded on air. As president in 2025 Trump repeatedly demanded networks fire late-night hosts.
September 11, 2024
In his own words
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel rejected the call, saying the First Amendment protects broadcasters.
“They ought to take away their license for the way they did that.”
October 10, 2024
In his own words
CBS said his accusation of deceptive editing was false. He later sued CBS for 0 billion, and its parent company Paramount settled for 6 million in 2025.
December 14, 2024
ABC agreed to pay $15 million to Trump's future presidential library, plus $1 million in fees, to settle a defamation suit over anchor George Stephanopoulos saying on air that Trump had been found liable for “rape” (the jury's finding was sexual abuse). It set the template for media companies paying rather than fighting.
January 29, 2025
Meta agreed to pay $25 million — most of it to Trump's library fund — to settle his 2021 lawsuit over the suspension of his accounts after the January 6 attack.
February 6, 2025
Trump called for CBS to lose its broadcast license and for “60 Minutes” to be “terminated” over its edit of a Kamala Harris interview, amplifying a $10 billion suit (later expanded to $20 billion). Regulators license individual stations, not networks, and the FCC historically does not revoke licenses over coverage a politician dislikes.
In his own words
The $8 million was routine government-wide spending on Politico Pro subscriptions, a policy-tracking service agencies buy like any other product. The administration then canceled the subscriptions. Politico said it has never taken “a dime” in federal subsidies.
February 7, 2025
On the ground
It followed an earlier round that removed NBC News, NPR, The New York Times and Politico in favor of One America News, Breitbart, the New York Post and HuffPost. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office called it a “media rotation program.”
February 11, 2025
The White House barred Associated Press reporters from the Oval Office, Air Force One and pooled events because the AP kept using “Gulf of Mexico” rather than Trump's renamed “Gulf of America.” A federal judge ruled the ban unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and ordered access restored — but the administration kept blocking AP and appealed.
On the ground
Carr’s letter to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts cited the company calling DEI “a core value” and holding an annual “DEI day.” It was the first of several FCC probes of media companies’ diversity policies.
February 26, 2025
In his own words
He wrote that the stories are “made up, defamatory fiction, and a big price should be paid for this blatant dishonesty.”
“At some point I am going to sue some of these dishonest authors and book publishers, or even media in general, to find out whether or not these ‘anonymous sources’ even exist.”
March 14, 2025
On the ground
The order also cut grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and other broadcasters that serve countries without a free press. Judge Royce Lamberth ordered VOA restored, and on March 17, 2026 ruled the wind-down illegal and ordered more than 1,000 employees back to work, finding the government had given “nothing approaching a principled basis” for its actions.
March 28, 2025
On the ground
In a letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger, Carr said the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau would examine whether Disney and ABC were “promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” citing ABC’s 2020 inclusion standards for on-screen characters and writing staff. Carr had already opened probes into NBC’s parent Comcast and into NPR and PBS. He later threatened ABC’s broadcast licenses.
On the ground
A 2024 indictment charged two RT employees with funneling $10 million to Tenet to pay influencers to amplify divisions in the U.S. Prosecutors said the influencers did not know about the Russian funding. Pool was reportedly paid $100,000 per episode.
April 13, 2025
In his own words
Trump was already suing CBS for $20 billion over a Harris interview edit. He wrote that the show “mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way” almost every week.
“Almost every week, 60 Minutes ... mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way, but this Weekend’s ‘BROADCAST’ tops them all.”
April 14, 2025
On the ground
Judge Trevor McFadden ruled the administration could not exclude the AP for refusing to rename the Gulf of Mexico, and he rejected a request for more delay. The administration said it would appeal and kept the AP out.
On the ground
WBD confirmed a representative had sought advice on dealing with the White House. There is no evidence it acted on the suggestions.
April 16, 2025
On the ground
Carr said Comcast outlets misled the public by calling Abrego Garcia a “Maryland man,” and noted that licensed news operations must serve the public interest. It came after MSNBC chose not to carry a White House briefing defending the deportation.
“News distortion doesn’t cut it.”
April 20, 2025
In his own words
Trump posted on Truth Social that “those lying to the American People on behalf of violent criminals have to be held responsible,” aimed at journalists and Democrats covering the Maryland man deported to an El Salvador prison despite a court order barring it. The government had acknowledged in court that his removal was an “administrative error.” Administration officials attacked reporters covering the case as “despicable.”
“Those lying to the American People on behalf of violent criminals have to be held responsible by the Agencies and the Courts.”
April 24, 2025
In his own words
The poll put his approval at 44% and disapproval at 55%.
“Rupert Murdoch has told me for years that he is going to get rid of his FoxNews, Trump Hating, Fake Pollster, but he has never done so.”
April 28, 2025
In his own words
He cited his own pollster, John McLaughlin, who called the polls fake. Some polls had his approval in the high 30s.
May 1, 2025
On the ground
Executive Order 14290, signed late on May 1, 2025, declared that “neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events” and ordered the CPB and federal agencies to cease funding NPR and PBS and to root out indirect funding. PBS CEO Paula Kerger called it “blatantly unlawful.” NPR and PBS sued. In March 2026 a federal judge ruled the order violated the First Amendment.
“Neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to tax-paying citizens.”
May 7, 2025
On the ground
Former agency officials said it “makes a mockery of the agency’s history of independent non-partisan journalism.”
May 19, 2025
On the ground
“60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens had quit weeks earlier. Paramount settled for $16 million in July.
June 10, 2025
On the ground
Soldiers had been told to alert superiors if they had political differences with Trump so they could be kept out of the crowd behind him, and one directive said, “No fat soldiers.” The Pentagon defended the booing: “no one needs to be encouraged to boo the media.”
On the ground
Moran, at ABC since 1997, deleted the late-night post and was suspended. Two days later, on June 10, 2025, ABC said his contract was ending and “based on his recent post — which was a clear violation of ABC News policies — we have made the decision not to renew.” White House communications director Steven Cheung celebrated his exit on X.
July 1, 2025
Paramount agreed to pay $16 million (to Trump's library and fees) to settle the “60 Minutes” suit — while it needed the Trump FCC to approve its lucrative Skydance merger, which the agency then cleared with conditions including an ombudsman to police CBS news “bias.” Press-freedom groups called it a payoff dressed as a settlement.
In his own words
After CNN reported on the app, Noem said: “We’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that,” claiming the network was “actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement.” CNN said there is nothing illegal about reporting on an app available to any iPhone user. Apple later removed the app under administration pressure, and its developer sued.
“We’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that.”
July 18, 2025
Days after Stephen Colbert called Paramount's settlement a “big fat bribe,” CBS announced it would end The Late Show in 2026, citing finances. Trump cheered the news. The timing — amid the merger review and the settlement — drew widespread suspicion that a critic had been silenced.
“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.”
On the ground
The Senate approved the package 51–48 after 2 a.m. on July 17, and the House gave final passage 216–213 early on July 18. It cancelled the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s funding for 2026 and 2027 and cut development aid, global health, refugee and disaster programs. Republican Reps. Mike Turner and Brian Fitzpatrick joined all Democrats in opposition. The Senate removed $400 million in proposed cuts to the PEPFAR HIV program.
On the ground
The Journal reported the letter included a drawing of a nude woman; Trump denied writing it. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the change was made “due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct,” and that “thirteen diverse outlets” would cover the trip instead. The reporter removed had not worked on the story.
July 24, 2025
On the ground
The FCC voted 2–1 on July 24, 2025. Chairman Brendan Carr hailed the deal as a chance to bring balance to “once-storied” CBS: “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change.” Paramount had agreed in early July to pay Trump $16 million to settle his suit over a “60 Minutes” interview, which CBS had argued had no merit. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden asked whether the settlement was a payoff for approval.
August 17, 2025
In his own words
He shared a meme of her as a clown and wrote “MSNBC IS DEAD!”
““She is a loser, with bad ratings, who was already thrown off of The View. She will be fired soon! MSNBC IS DEAD!””
August 24, 2025
Trump declared ABC and NBC “FAKE NEWS” and “an arm of the Democratic Party” that “should lose their Licenses” over what he claimed was “97% bad stories” about him. His FCC chair, Brendan Carr, publicly backed revoking the networks' licenses.
“They should lose their Licenses for their unfair coverage of Republicans and/or Conservatives.”
August 31, 2025
In his own words
He called Brazile “dumb as a rock” and referred to ABC’s $15 million settlement of his defamation suit.
““They just paid me $16,000,000 for ‘inaccurate’ reporting, now they should pay me more!!!””
September 15, 2025
On the ground
Judge Steven Merryday, a George H.W. Bush appointee, struck the 85-page complaint on Sept. 19, 2025, noting it didn’t reach the first defamation count until page 80 and was full of “tedious and burdensome” material, including an “extensive list” of Trump’s TV appearances. “A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally,” he wrote, ordering any refiling to be no more than 40 pages and “in a professional and dignified manner.”
September 16, 2025
Trump filed a $15 billion defamation suit against the New York Times, four of its reporters and Penguin Random House over reporting and a book on his finances, calling the paper a “mouthpiece” for the left. A federal judge tossed it days later as “decidedly improper and impermissible,” ordering it refiled and drastically shortened.
September 17, 2025
After FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned ABC's affiliates “we can do this the easy way or the hard way” over Kimmel's remarks about Charlie Kirk's killing, Nexstar and Sinclair dropped the show and ABC suspended it. Carr said “we're not done yet” and threatened “The View.” A wave of public backlash brought Kimmel back days later.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
September 18, 2025
In his own words
Aboard Air Force One on Sept. 18, 2025, Trump said: “If they’re 97% against, they give me only bad publicity or press. I mean, if they’re getting a license, I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It’ll be up to Brendan Carr.” National networks don’t hold FCC licenses; their local affiliates do. In 2019, Carr himself wrote that “the FCC does not have a roving mandate to police speech.” When Kimmel returned on Sept. 23, Trump posted that he would “test ABC out on this,” noting ABC had settled his suit over George Stephanopoulos’ comments for $16 million.
“I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It’ll be up to Brendan Carr.”
September 19, 2025
In his own words
In the Oval Office on Sept. 19, 2025, Trump doubled down on calling critical coverage “illegal” and rejected criticism that his administration was chilling speech. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz had compared FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s threats against ABC to mafia tactics.
“When 97 percent of the stories are bad about a person, it’s no longer free speech.”
On the ground
The 17-page memo distributed Sept. 19, 2025 said: “Information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.” National Press Club President Mike Balsamo said that if military news must first be approved by the government, the public “is getting only what officials want them to see.” Nearly the entire press corps later turned in its badges rather than sign.
October 15, 2025
On the ground
On Oct. 15, 2025, dozens of reporters carried out boxes of documents, chairs and old photos at a 4 p.m. deadline rather than accept rules that would leave them open to expulsion for seeking information, classified or not, that Hegseth had not approved. News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting the rules. Their seats went largely to pro-Trump outlets.
October 16, 2025
In his own words
HuffPost’s S.V. Date noted that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum was where Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in return for Russian assurances on its territory. Leavitt answered: “Your mom did.” Communications Director Steven Cheung added: “Your mom.” Leavitt followed up: “You are a far left hack who nobody takes seriously … Stop texting me your disingenuous, biased, and bullshit questions,” and later doubled down publicly.
“Your mom did.”
November 2, 2025
On the ground
Norah O’Donnell had asked about pardoning Binance founder Changpeng Zhao after Binance helped a $2 billion deal using the Trump family’s stablecoin. CBS also cut his threat to walk out.
““I can’t say, because — I can’t say — I’m not concerned. I don’t — I’d rather not have you ask the question.””
November 10, 2025
In his own words
The documentary spliced parts of the speech together in a way the BBC later admitted gave a misleading impression. Trump’s lawyers demanded a retraction and threatened a $1 billion suit.
November 14, 2025
Aboard Air Force One, Trump told a Bloomberg reporter pressing him on the Epstein files, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy” — part of a pattern of demeaning journalists, especially women, who ask unwelcome questions.
“Quiet. Quiet, piggy.”
November 18, 2025
In his own words
In the Oval Office on Nov. 18, 2025, Bruce asked about Khashoggi’s killing, Trump’s family business ties to the Saudis, and the Epstein files. Trump dismissed U.S. intelligence findings that the prince likely bore some responsibility for the 2018 murder, saying “a lot of people didn’t like” Khashoggi. He called her question “horrible, insubordinate,” then said: “I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, the chairman, who should look at that.” Four days earlier, he had told Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey “quiet, piggy” when she asked about Epstein.
“I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong.”
November 28, 2025
On the ground
The first two “media offenders of the week” targeted the Boston Globe, CBS News, The Independent and The Washington Post. The leaderboard ranked 23 outlets, led by The Washington Post with six stories and CBS News, The New York Times and MS NOW with five each. Post executive editor Matt Murray called it “the wrongful and intentional targeting of journalists by government officials for exercising a constitutionally protected right.” The Committee to Protect Journalists also raised alarm.
December 9, 2025
In his own words
The Times story, “Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office,” drew on interviews with people close to the president and medical experts. Trump posted on Truth Social that it was “seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports to libel and demean ‘THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.’” The Times replied that “Mr. Trump welcomed our reporting on the age and fitness of his predecessors; we’re applying the same journalistic scrutiny to his vitality,” and that the paper “won’t be deterred by false and inflammatory language that distorts the role of a free press.”
“It is seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports to libel and demean ‘THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.’”
December 10, 2025
In his own words
On Dec. 10, 2025, Trump said: “I think the people that have run CNN for the last long period of time are a disgrace. I think it’s imperative that CNN be sold.” Netflix had signed a deal for Warner Bros. and HBO but not CNN; Paramount was the only bidder for the whole company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ellison “offered assurances to Trump administration officials that if he bought Warner, he’d make sweeping changes to CNN.” Trump has called the Ellisons “friends of mine” and “big supporters.” After buying CBS, Ellison installed an ombudsman and named Bari Weiss editor-in-chief of CBS News.
“It’s imperative that CNN be sold.”
December 17, 2025
In his own words
At a Dec. 17, 2025 Senate hearing, Sen. Ben Ray Luján asked whether the FCC’s mission statement calling the agency “independent” was “lying.” Carr said “possibly.” The word appeared on the page as recently as October, but it was gone that afternoon. The FCC said its website “required updating” to reflect “the positions of the agency’s new leadership.” In 2021, Carr himself had defended the “FCC’s status as an independent agency.” Democrats also pressed him on his role in getting Jimmy Kimmel pulled off the air.
January 5, 2026
On the ground
The board voted on January 5, 2026 to shut down the organization that distributed federal money to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local radio and TV stations. CEO Patricia Harrison said dissolving was better than remaining “defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks.” Local stations, many in rural areas, were left to survive without federal support.
January 13, 2026
In his own words
The statement was one of DHS’s most direct declarations of a policy treating people who observe and film immigration arrests as criminals. In January 2026, a federal judge ruled that a DHS policy threatening ICE observers with arrest was unlawful.
January 14, 2026
On the ground
FBI agents search the Virginia home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, who covers Trump’s transformation of the federal government, and seize her phone and watch in a leak investigation in which she is not a target. The probe concerns a Maryland system administrator accused of taking home classified reports. Press freedom groups called searching a reporter’s home a highly unusual escalation.
January 21, 2026
On the ground
Brendan Carr’s FCC declares that late-night and daytime talk shows such as “The View” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” may have to give opposing candidates equal time. It says shows “motivated by partisan purposes” lose the news exemption. Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez called it “an escalation in this FCC’s ongoing campaign to censor and control speech.”
February 3, 2026
In his own words
In the Oval Office on Feb. 3, 2026, Trump answered Collins’ question about Epstein’s victims by attacking her: “You are the worst reporter. CNN has no ratings because of people like you.” He went on: “You know she’s a young woman — I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face. You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth.” Vice President JD Vance defended the remarks.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. … You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth.”
February 20, 2026
On the ground
Announced Feb. 20, 2026, the campaign asks broadcasters to align with Trump’s Salute to America 250 Task Force and air content that “celebrates the American journey … from our founding through the Trump Administration today.” Carr suggested starting each broadcast day with “The Star-Spangled Banner” or the Pledge, segments on historic sites, and music by Sousa, Gershwin, Ellington and Copland. The FCC said participation is voluntary. NPR’s archival research found the FCC issued no such pledge before the 1976 bicentennial.
February 21, 2026
In his own words
On Feb. 21, 2026, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. She’s got no talent or skills – Purely a political hack! HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK.” Rice, Obama’s national security adviser and a Netflix director, had said on a podcast that corporations, media companies, law firms and universities that “take a knee” to Trump should not expect Democrats to “forgive and forget.” Netflix was locked in a takeover fight with Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal federal regulators must approve. Weeks earlier Trump had said the Justice Department would handle the review. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos brushed off the demand.
“Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences.”
March 27, 2026
In his own words
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas, on March 27, 2026, Carr named PBS, NPR, CNN and CBS as promulgators of “fake news” and celebrated the departures of journalists and hosts critical of Trump, and the sale of CBS and CNN to new owners, as victories.
“PBS defunded. NPR defunded.”
March 31, 2026
On the ground
Judge Randolph Moss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found the May 2025 order “singles out two speakers and, on the basis of their speech, bars them from all federally funded programs.” He wrote that the First Amendment forbids using “the power of the purse ‘to punish or suppress disfavored expression.’” The ruling restored NPR’s eligibility for other federal programs, but could not undo the funding Congress had already cancelled.
“The First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power – including the power of the purse – “to punish or suppress disfavored expression” by others.”
July 11, 2026
On July 11, 2026, the Justice Department confirmed it had subpoenaed several New York Times journalists to testify before a grand jury over the paper’s reporting on Trump’s return flight from the NATO summit in Ankara — with federal agents delivering some of the subpoenas in person at reporters’ homes. The subpoenas were authorized by Jay Clayton, Trump’s U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The Committee to Protect Journalists and other press-freedom groups condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate reporters and expose their confidential sources. It marked a sharp escalation — from the president’s civil defamation suits against the Times to the criminal machinery of the DOJ being turned on individual journalists over coverage he dislikes.