A free press is a cornerstone of American democracy. It informs citizens, holds leaders to account and upholds democratic principles. But after decades of relative freedom, the U.S. press now faces a coordinated series of federal actions that is unmatched in recent decades.
President Donald Trump and his administration have taken concrete steps since January to limit press freedom. While government scrutiny of the media isn’t new, the scope and intensity of actions in Trump’s second term mark a sharp escalation. These measures include defunding outlets, detaining writers, investigating disfavored news companies and harassing journalists — actions that have limited journalists’ ability to report and the public’s access to information.
Some of these efforts appear tied to broader strategies, including the goals outlined in Project 2025, a 900-page conservative roadmap for reshaping government policy. Others focus on outlets that Trump has repeatedly singled out for criticism.
To document these developments, Poynter has launched Press Freedom Watch, a tracker cataloging federal government actions affecting journalists.
“The press has always had an antagonistic relationship with the government — that comes with the territory of acting as a watchdog — and that was especially true during President Donald Trump’s first term,” said Angela Fu, Poynter reporter and lead on the project. “That tension intensified during his second term. Since then, the administration, along with Congress and federal agencies, has taken a wide range of actions affecting media outlets, from funding cuts to investigations to personnel changes. Compiling them in one ongoing list helps readers understand the full scope and scale of what is happening.”
The Watch focuses on federal-level actions, though many similar measures are also occurring at the state and local levels. It does not include anticipatory actions by media companies trying to curry favor with the administration. To keep the list focused, our criteria for inclusion are stringent:
- The federal government must be the actor.
- There must be a concrete action — verbal attacks or threats alone aren’t enough.
- The action must directly or indirectly affect journalists’ ability to work or the public’s ability to access their reporting.
This approach means the Watch includes cases where journalists may not be the direct target but where government measures limit information. Examples include government agencies canceling news subscriptions or polygraphing employees to identify media leaks. While these measures do not focus on reporters directly, they are designed to reduce the flow of information.
On the Watch’s main page, users can see every documented action going back to Jan. 20, the first day of Trump’s second term. Actions are further categorized by type — detention and violence, funding cuts, investigations and harassment — or by target, such as wire services or public broadcasting, allowing readers to see patterns in how the administration deals with the press.
While compiling the Watch, Fu noticed a striking pattern: The administration often pursues targets through multiple, simultaneous avenues.
“In targeting NPR, PBS and other public broadcasters, Trump has attempted to fire employees, issued an executive order ordering their defunding, formally asked Congress to cut funding, launched a Federal Communications Commission investigation and tried to involve the Department of Government Efficiency,” she said. “It’s remarkable how thoroughly the administration has pursued some outlets using multiple avenues of attack.”
Some actions also appear retaliatory. For example, after Trump sued The Wall Street Journal over its coverage of his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein, the White House removed a Journal reporter from the press pool.
“Days later, the White House removed a Journal reporter from the pool of journalists traveling overseas with the president,” she said.
Readers can interact with the Watch by browsing and searching entries. Fu will update the list regularly as new developments occur.
“It’s hard to foresee exactly how this will evolve,” she said. “A lot of people would have struggled to predict everything that’s happened to press freedoms since Trump took office. As the situation continues, I’ll keep reevaluating what information will be most useful for readers.”
The launch of Press Freedom Watch comes at a critical time, when a free press faces both political and technological pressures. By centralizing and cataloging one tier of actions, at the federal level, affecting journalists’ ability to inform the public, Poynter aims to provide a clear, ongoing record of threats to press freedom and to equip the public with tools to monitor them.
Poynter invites readers to contribute through tips or suggestions for new entries. Reach out to Fu via email afu@poynter.org or on Signal at angelafu.74.
