Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ABC pays $15 million under threat of a libel lawsuit from Trump administration
• Trump administration launches legal assaults on CBS and Des Moines Register
• Trump administration threatens federal funding for NPR and PBS

Supporting reports

• Trump Bars Associated Press from Oval Office
• Trump administration bars Associated Press from presidential pool

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• Trump administration replaces Covid.gov with "lab leak" theory website and criticism of Fauci — The Trump White House replaced Covid.gov, which previously provided Americans with information about free Covid-19 tests, vaccines, treatments, and long Covid resources, with a website promoting the "lab leak" theory and containing criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the WHO, and New York state leadership. The new site argues that NIH procedures for funding research are "deficient" and "pose a serious threat" to public health and national security, and claims the NIH "fostered an environment that promoted evading federal record keeping laws."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration bars Associated Press from Oval Office over nomenclature dispute — In early March 2025, the Trump administration barred Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the news agency refused to use Trump's preferred term "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." The ban remains in effect as of late March, preventing one of the world's premier news agencies from accessing key presidential spaces and limiting its reporting capacity on administration activities.

Supporting reports

• Trump suggests certain media groups should be "illegal" — In recent weeks, Trump has suggested that some media groups should be "illegal," escalating his rhetoric against news organizations. This statement reflects the administration's increasingly aggressive posture toward the press and represents a threat to press freedom itself.
• Funding cut from Voice of America — The Trump administration has cut funding from Voice of America, a U.S. government-funded international news organization. This action reduces the capacity of a key institution for communicating American values and news globally.
• Trump signed executive order slashing federal funding for NPR and PBS — In late April 2025, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at slashing federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing both news outlets of spreading "radical woke propaganda." This action is part of a broader crackdown on press freedom and government-funded media outlets critical of or independent from the administration.
• Trump calls for defunding NPR and PBS — On April 1, Trump posted on Truth Social calling on Republicans to "defund and totally disassociate themselves" from NPR and PBS, baselessly calling the public broadcasters "radical left 'monsters.'" The statement targeted public media for perceived political bias.

Supporting reports

• Voice of America employees put on administrative leave — Government-employed journalists at Voice of America (VoA) were placed on administrative leave following President Trump's order to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media, VoA's parent company. This move comes after VoA's parent company terminated contracts with major news agencies and instructed journalists to stop using wire service materials. The administrative leave is not for disciplinary purposes but reflects significant changes in the agency's operations.
• Trump administration shuts down Voice of America — The Trump administration ordered the shutdown of Voice of America (VOA), resulting in over 1,000 employees being locked out of their building and placed on administrative leave. The closure affects VOA's ability to broadcast news and information globally. Kari Lake, nominated to take over VOA, canceled contracts with affiliated networks, raising legal questions and potential lawsuits.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed order eliminating USAGM — President Donald Trump signed an order eliminating the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company of Voice of America (VoA), along with six other federal agencies. This action led to government-employed journalists at VoA being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits. The decision was not for disciplinary purposes but followed the termination of contracts with major news agencies like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. The move is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to control media narratives and reduce reliance on external news sources.
• Voice of America employees put on administrative leave — Government-employed journalists at Voice of America (VoA) were placed on administrative leave following President Trump's order to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media, VoA's parent company. This move comes after VoA's parent company terminated contracts with major news agencies and instructed journalists to stop using wire service materials. The administrative leave is not for disciplinary purposes but reflects significant changes in the agency's operations.
• Trump administration shuts down Voice of America — The Trump administration ordered the shutdown of Voice of America (VOA), resulting in over 1,000 employees being locked out of their building and placed on administrative leave. The closure affects VOA's ability to broadcast news and information globally. Kari Lake, nominated to take over VOA, canceled contracts with affiliated networks, raising legal questions and potential lawsuits.
• Trump ordered gutting of pro-democracy media outlets — Trump took executive action ordering the gutting of the agency overseeing Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA). More than 1,300 VOA employees were placed on leave, and funding for RFE/RL and RFA was terminated.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed executive order dismantling Voice of America and USAGM — In late March 2025, President Trump signed a late-night executive order aimed at dismantling the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its flagship international broadcaster, Voice of America. The order directed USAGM to cancel federal grants supporting VoA's sister outlets—Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. VoA's broadcast went dark for the first time since its founding in World War II, with approximately 1,300 employees placed on administrative leave. A federal judge blocked the dismantling in April, but subsequent court orders have kept VoA staff sidelined while litigation continues.
• Voice of America representatives sue Trump administration over shutdown attempt — In March 2025, representatives for Voice of America sued the administration, arguing that the shutdown violated their freedom of speech.
• Trump administration dismantled U.S. Agency for Global Media programming — The Trump administration dismantled most of the U.S. Agency for Global Media in March 2025, eliminating billions of dollars in foreign aid and influence programs. The action resulted in the removal of Voice of America content from Indonesian news channels that previously featured both U.S. government-backed and Chinese state media reports. Kari Lake, the official overseeing the retrenchment, accused the agency of misusing funds. The elimination affected decades of U.S. foreign-policy efforts and soft-power initiatives.

Supporting reports

• TASS reporter removed from Oval Office meeting — A reporter from the Russian state news agency TASS was removed from an Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky after complaints about their presence. The Associated Press and Reuters were reportedly excluded from the event, raising concerns about media access and transparency in covering significant diplomatic interactions.

Supporting reports

• White House to control press pool access — The White House announced it will decide which news organizations and reporters are allowed into the presidential press pool covering Donald Trump. This decision follows a temporary court ruling allowing the administration to bar the Associated Press (AP) from the Oval Office and Air Force One. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) traditionally coordinates press access, but the administration claims it will now include new voices. The AP's access was revoked after it refused to comply with Trump's demand to rename the Gulf of Mexico, leading to accusations of violating First Amendment rights.
• White House takes control of press pool access — The Trump administration announced it will take control of the White House press pool, removing the White House Correspondents’ Association's (WHCA) role in deciding which journalists have access to the president. This decision was announced by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who framed it as democratizing access. The move has been criticized by media members, including a Fox News correspondent, as an attack on press independence. The administration has already barred the Associated Press from official events and removed Reuters from its traditional spot in the press pool.
• Trump administration to control press pool access — The White House announced it will control which reporters are allowed into the presidential press pool to cover Trump, taking over a role traditionally managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association. This decision follows a temporary ruling allowing the administration to bar the Associated Press over a naming dispute.
• — The Trump administration announced it would break precedent by choosing which media outlets are allowed to participate in the presidential press pool, a decision traditionally made by the White House Correspondents' Association. This move could limit press freedom and access to information.

Supporting reports

• Judge denies AP's request to restore access — A federal judge, Trevor McFadden, denied the Associated Press's request for a temporary injunction to restore its access to the Oval Office and other presidential events. The Trump administration had barred the AP for not using the term "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico" in its coverage. The judge, a Trump appointee, found the restriction on access to "more private areas" used by Trump to be different from previous cases where courts blocked revocation of journalists' access. The case will have another hearing next month.
• Judge denies AP's request for TRO against WH — A judge denied the Associated Press's request for a temporary restraining order after they were banned from White House briefings for refusing to use the term "Gulf of America." The judge noted the case's problematic nature but denied the TRO due to lack of "irreparable harm."
• Judge declines to issue restraining order for AP — A federal judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order to allow the Associated Press to regain access to presidential events, urging the Trump administration to reconsider its ban on the news organization. This decision highlights ongoing tensions between the administration and the press.

Supporting reports

• Richard Grenell calls for shutdown of US-funded media — Richard Grenell, Trump's envoy for special missions, called for the shutdown of US-funded media organizations Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. This move is part of a broader effort to control media narratives and limit independent journalism.

Supporting reports

• Associated Press barred from Oval Office — The Associated Press (AP) was barred from attending an Oval Office event where President Donald Trump signed an executive order. The exclusion was reportedly a punitive measure against AP for not adhering to Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. AP maintained its style guide, referring to the Gulf by its historical name. The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the action as a violation of press freedom, emphasizing the importance of independent journalism.
• White House bars AP reporters from press events — The White House barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from attending press events after the AP refused to use the term "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." This decision followed a complaint over AP's editorial choices. The AP's executive editor, Julie Pace, criticized the move as a violation of free speech and the First Amendment, arguing it was intended to punish the AP for its editorial stance. The White House press secretary stated that access to the Oval Office is a privilege and defended the decision.
• Establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council — President Donald Trump issued an executive order establishing the National Energy Dominance Council within the Executive Office of the President. The Council, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, aims to advise the President on strategies to enhance U.S. energy production and achieve energy dominance. It will focus on improving energy permitting processes, increasing production, and reducing regulatory barriers. The Council will also coordinate with federal agencies and private sector partners to implement a National Energy Dominance Strategy, aiming to boost economic growth and national security through energy initiatives.
• White House bans AP journalists from Oval Office — The White House has announced an indefinite ban on Associated Press (AP) journalists from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. This decision is part of an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and the AP over the naming of the Gulf of Mexico, which the administration has renamed the Gulf of America. The White House accuses the AP of misinformation for not adopting the new name. Despite the ban, AP journalists retain their credentials for the White House complex. The AP and other media outlets have criticized the move as a violation of press freedoms.

Supporting reports

• State Department orders cancellation of media subscriptions — The U.S. State Department has issued a directive to its global outposts to cancel all "non-mission critical" media subscriptions. This directive, reportedly issued on February 11, 2025, aims to cut costs by stopping work orders on contracts for publications, periodicals, and newspapers that are not academic or professional journals. The move affects hundreds of U.S. diplomatic offices worldwide and has raised concerns among staff about the potential impact on their ability to assess threats and arrange diplomatic activities safely.

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• FCC investigates KCBS reporting — The FCC launched an investigation into the San Francisco-based radio station KCBS for its reporting on immigration enforcement actions in San José. This investigation reflects the administration's scrutiny of media coverage critical of its policies.

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• Musk calls for firing of WSJ reporter — Elon Musk called for the firing of Wall Street Journal reporter Katherine Long after she reported on racist social media posts by a DOGE employee. Musk accused her of "criminal" behavior, reflecting his antagonism towards critical journalism.

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• Trump calls for firing of columnist Eugene Robinson — President Trump called for the firing of Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson in a post on Truth Social. Robinson has been critical of Trump and Musk, and this call reflects the administration's antagonism towards dissenting voices in the media.

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• Trump calls for CBS to cancel '60 Minutes' — President Trump called for CBS to cancel '60 Minutes' and suggested the network should lose its broadcasting license. This statement reflects the administration's antagonism towards media outlets critical of its policies.
• Trump calls for CBS News to be terminated — On February 6, 2025, Trump claimed that CBS News "defrauded the public" regarding an edited interview with Kamala Harris, calling for the network to be "immediately terminated." This statement reflects an attack on press freedom, as it seeks to punish a media outlet for its editorial choices.

Supporting reports

• FCC cancels POLITICO subscriptions — The White House announced the cancellation of $8 million worth of POLITICO subscriptions following a conspiracy theory that the news organization was subsidized by USAID funds. This decision reflects the administration's antagonism towards critical media outlets.

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• Pentagon implements media rotation program — The Pentagon has announced a new "annual media rotation program" that will replace traditional media outlets with non-traditional ones in its press spaces. The New York Times, NPR, NBC, and Politico will be replaced by the New York Post, Breitbart, One America News Network, and HuffPost, respectively. This change, set to take effect on February 14, aims to broaden access to the Pentagon's Correspondents' Corridor. The move has been criticized by affected outlets as impeding access and not serving the public interest.
• Pentagon informs press corps of media rotation — The Pentagon informed its resident press corps that NBC, NPR, the New York Times, and Politico would have to rotate out to give seats to the New York Post, Breitbart, OANN, and HuffPost. This decision could affect media access and the diversity of press coverage at the Pentagon.