Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• FCC Investigation into CBS News for "News Distortion" — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by Chairman Brendan Carr, has launched an investigation into CBS News for alleged "news distortion" following a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. This investigation mirrors a lawsuit filed by President Trump against CBS, claiming the network's editing decisions constituted "election interference." The FCC's actions mark a departure from its longstanding policy on news distortion, which typically involves gross misrepresentation of significant events. Carr has suggested that CBS's actions could lead to the revocation of its broadcast license.

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• FCC investigates NPR and PBS under new leadership — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), now led by a Project 2025 author appointed by Trump, is investigating National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) with the potential to defund them. This aligns with Project 2025's recommendations to scrutinize and possibly defund public media.

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• Executive Order to End Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media — On May 1, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the cessation of federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The order mandates the CPB Board and all federal agencies to stop both direct and indirect funding to these organizations, citing concerns over biased and partisan news coverage. The order requires revisions to funding criteria and compliance checks to ensure no federal funds support NPR and PBS, with a deadline for implementation set before June 30, 2025.
• Trump Signs Executive Order Cutting Public Broadcasting Funds — On May 1, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to cut federal funding for public broadcasters NPR and PBS, a move criticized as "blatantly unlawful" by PBS President Paula Kerger. This order impacts public media funding and independence.
• Trump signs executive order to cut funding for public broadcasters — President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The order accuses these outlets of leftwing bias and claims that government funding of news media is outdated and undermines journalistic independence. The move is part of a broader conservative agenda to defund public media, which has been a longstanding goal. Public media organizations, including PBS, have expressed their intent to challenge the order, citing its potential impact on their ability to provide educational programming and news services.

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• Appeals Court Temporarily Reverses Rulings on Broadcasting Funds — A federal appeals court temporarily reversed parts of two lower-court rulings, allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding federal funds from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. This decision affects international broadcasting operations.

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• 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. These briefings have included figures such as Winston Marshall, Tim Pool, and Dominick McGee, who have posed questions that align with conservative and extremist viewpoints. The briefings have been criticized for promoting propaganda and conspiracy theories, with questions often attacking mainstream media and endorsing controversial policies. The administration has expressed openness to expanding access to these new media figures.
• 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. The event included racially charged comments and questions about media direction. This reflects the administration's media strategy.

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• 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

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• 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."

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• Trump administration defunds US Agency for Global Media — On 14 March, Donald Trump issued an executive order to defund the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America and provides grants to Radio Free Asia and other international news agencies. The agency employed approximately 3,500 staff with an $886m annual budget. Foreign workers on visas face deportation to authoritarian countries where they risk imprisonment or death. Two VoA contributors are imprisoned in Myanmar and Vietnam; four Radio Free Asia contributors are imprisoned in Vietnam. Federal workers, journalists, and labor unions filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse the shutdown.
• Trump signed executive order rescinding 17 additional Biden-era executive actions and memoranda — President Trump signed an executive order on March 14, 2025, rescinding 17 additional executive actions, memoranda, and determinations issued by the Biden administration. The rescissions include orders on COVID-19 response, federal contractor minimum wage, LGBTQ+ human rights abroad, apprenticeships, worker empowerment, tribal self-determination, biotechnology innovation, and various Defense Production Act determinations related to infant formula, solar modules, insulation, electrolyzers, and heat pumps. The order states the rescissions are necessary to "restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of American citizens."
• White House issued executive order directing elimination of seven federal agencies and components — The White House issued an executive order on March 14, 2025, directing the elimination of non-statutory components and functions of seven federal entities: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the United States Agency for Global Media, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency. The order requires each entity to reduce to minimum statutory functions within 7 days and directs OMB to reject funding requests inconsistent with the order.

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• 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.

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• Editor of WaPo’s Opinion Page resigns over Bezos's control — The Editor of The Washington Post's Opinion Page, along with several writers, resigned in protest against Jeff Bezos's decision to dictate editorial topics. This move has been criticized as an example of oligarchic control over media, with concerns about the independence and objectivity of the press.
• Washington Post shifts opinion section focus — Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos announced that the paper's opinion section would focus on supporting "personal liberties" and "free markets," prompting the resignation of Opinion Editor David Shipley and the loss of subscribers. This shift raises concerns about editorial independence and media diversity.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

Supporting reports

• FCC opens investigation into NPR and PBS — FCC Chair Brendan Carr opened an investigation into NPR and PBS to determine if they have been violating federal law by airing commercials. This investigation could impact public broadcasting and its funding model.
• FCC requests unedited transcript from CBS News — The FCC sent a request to CBS News for the unedited transcript of its '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris. This request is part of an investigation into potential violations of federal law by the network.