Narrow these 11 — tap a value to filter:
Open an event to see its evidence. Attack and trait tags link to their definitions
Aug 5, 2025 President Trump requested Rupert Murdoch's deposition and sued the Wall Street Journal over Epstein reporting Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The legal moves put pressure on a news outlet over unfavorable reporting and risked chilling aggressive journalism about powerful figures.
Supporting reports
- Trump Requests Murdoch Deposition in Lawsuit — President Trump requested a federal judge in Miami to compel Rupert Murdoch to testify under oath regarding the Wall Street Journal's reporting on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
- Trump Sues Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Reporting — President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal's parent company, Dow Jones, in response to a report detailing his past contributions to a birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein.
- — President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal's parent company, Dow Jones, in response to a report detailing his past association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Jun 25, 2025 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hired a right-wing influencer to run the Defense Department’s social media account Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
Putting partisan messaging in an official military communications channel blurred the line between public information and political propaganda.
Supporting reports
- Hegseth hires right-wing influencer for DOD social media account — Secretary of Defense Hegseth hired a right-wing influencer to manage the official Department of Defense social media account, which posted a statement criticizing the press for being biased against Trump.
Jun 25, 2025 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth used a press conference to attack reporting on a leaked Iran damage assessment Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The briefing sought to discredit independent reporting on classified findings and steer public understanding toward the administration’s preferred narrative.
Supporting reports
- SecDef Hegseth holds press conference criticizing media — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth conducted a press conference where he criticized the media for reporting on a leaked DIA report that contradicted President Trump's claims about Iran's nuclear program.
Jun 25, 2025 President Trump called for defunding Voice of America as a partisan outlet Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
Targeting VOA funding threatened the independence of a public broadcaster and signaled that state-supported media should align with political power.
Supporting reports
- Trump Calls for Defunding Voice of America — President Trump called for Republican lawmakers to defund Voice of America, labeling it a "Democrat mouthpiece." This reflects the administration's efforts to control media narratives and limit dissenting voices.
Jun 25, 2025 The Trump administration terminated hundreds of Voice of America employees as part of dismantling the U.S. Agency for Global Media Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The firings reduced the capacity of a public broadcaster that operates at arm’s length from political power, increasing executive leverage over state-backed media institutions.
Supporting reports
- Trump administration terminates 639 employees at Voice of America — The Trump administration authorized the termination of 639 employees at Voice of America (VOA) on Friday, as part of a broader effort to dismantle the US Agency for Global Media.
Jun 23, 2025 President Trump attacked media coverage of the Iran strikes and demanded apologies from news outlets Corroborated Information, Memory and Manipulation
Pressuring outlets over unfavorable reporting sought to delegitimize independent scrutiny of military action and narrow the space for factual challenge.
Supporting reports
- Trump criticizes media over Iran military strikes coverage — Former President Trump expressed anger towards CNN and MSDNC for their coverage of the U.S.
May 7, 2025 Voice of America leadership under Kari Lake contracted with One America News for newsfeed and video services Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The deal threatened the editorial neutrality of a public broadcaster by replacing independent reporting capacity with partisan content supply.
Supporting reports
- Voice of America Contracts with One America News for Newsfeed — Voice of America (VoA), a government-funded organization, has contracted with One America News (OAN), a hard-right news network, to provide newsfeed and video services.
May 7, 2025 The Trump administration kept Voice of America shut down under a March executive order Tier 1 · Primary Power and Authority
The continued shutdown showed direct executive power over a public media institution and weakened an established channel for independent state-funded journalism.
Supporting reports
- Executive Order Shuts Down VoA Operations — An executive order signed by Donald Trump in mid-March has effectively shut down Voice of America (VoA) operations, taking them off the air and offline.
- Trump Administration's Executive Order Shuts Down Voice of America — In March, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), effectively shutting down Voice of America (VoA) and placing 1,300 employees on administrative leave.
Apr 28, 2025 The White House held alternative press briefings for right-wing influencers and new media allies Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
The briefings elevated loyal media channels over adversarial reporting and helped build a state-favored information ecosystem.
Supporting reports
- Trump Administration Hosts Alternative Press Briefings with Right-Wing Media Figures — The Trump administration, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, has initiated a series of alternative press briefings featuring right-wing media personalities.
- White House Holds Press Briefing for MAGA Influencers — The White House held its first press briefing for "new media," consisting of MAGA influencers and former press secretary Sean Spicer.
Apr 26, 2025 The Trump administration barred the Associated Press from Oval Office and pool access Tier 1 · Primary Information, Memory and Manipulation
Restricting a major wire service’s access limited independent reporting on the presidency and tested norms of press openness.
Supporting reports
- Trump Bars Associated Press from Oval Office
- Trump administration bars Associated Press from presidential pool
Mar 4, 2025 The Associated Press amended its lawsuit over White House restrictions on press-pool access Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance
The case tested whether the executive could punish a news outlet over language choices by limiting access to official events.
Supporting reports
- AP files amended complaint against White House over press pool ban — The Associated Press (AP) has amended its complaint against the Trump administration, challenging the White House's decision to restrict AP journalists from attending presidential events.