Since his inauguration, Donald Trump and his administration have aggressively campaigned against press freedom. Throughout his political career, Trump has routinely dismissed unfavorable coverage as “fake news”and labeled journalists the “enemy of the people.” However, his confrontational stance toward the press has escalated significantly during his second term.
The White House, for instance, recently sought to control which journalists and media outlets could participate in press pools covering the presidency—a tactic that journalists warn mirrors those used by authoritarian regimes. AsThe New York Times chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker noted, “Having served as a Moscow correspondent in the early days of Putin’s reign, [the Trump White House’s pool takeover] reminds me of how the Kremlin took over its own press pool and made sure that only compliant journalists were given access.”
