Trump's anti-media rhetoric, unlike any other

By: Elizabeth Truelove
Edited by: Brooke Sharp and Lana Alnajm

Introduction 

From his first presidential campaign, President Donald Trump has never been a friend of the press. Even within 30 days of taking office for his first presidency, Trump tweeted on his personal account that the media “is the enemy of the American People!” [1] Though, tensions between presidents and the media are nothing new. Whether it is the Bill Clinton post-Monica Lewinsky scandal or Richard Nixon auditing his “enemies list,” it seems inevitable for presidents to clash with the press. [2] Even Thomas Jefferson, infamous for his quote choosing a world with the news versus a world without, went back on his word years later, calling a newspaper a "diluted vehicle.” [3] 

While these disputes between the Oval Office and the press seem inevitable, Trump has taken his hatred of the press to a full-fledged war. Namely, Trump and his administration have pursued legal actions that not only abuse their political power, but also weaken the legitimacy of the First Amendment’s freedom of the press clause. 

Lawsuits against networks 

Filed in March of 2024, Trump’s lawsuit against ABC News acted as a catalyst for his ongoing attempts to sue the press. In a debate on-air, ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos inaccurately claimed that the then-president-elect Donald Trump had been found civilly liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll under New York State Penal Law. Despite the jury voting majorly in favor of Carroll, they had determined she failed to prove that Trump raped her “within the narrow, technical meaning of a particular section of the New York Penal Law.” On this technicality, Stephanopoulos’ assertion is incorrect. So, days after the on-air clip, the lawsuit had been filed. [4]

That December, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million in settlement of the case, in addition to $1 million in legal fees, to the construction of Donald Trump’s presidential library. [5] This outcome was rare for defamation lawsuits between the government and news outlets, but not necessarily a surprise. Proving defamation requires substantial proof in both saying misinformation, but also proving the source knew the information they claimed to be true, to be false. So, why settle when they could win? 

While ABC News made no official comment, besides a statement of regret laid out in their settlement agreement, various political and financial reasons at stake certainly changed the playing field. Firstly, in an era of developing AI practices and anti-media rhetoric from Trump, people’s trust in news outlets have reached all-time lows. [6] So, asking a jury to protect the expanse of the First Amendment, now more than ever, would prove challenging. Further, the network’s parent company, Disney, consistently requires government approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), so it is in their best interest to submit to the administration’s wishes now, than to face complications in the future. The best interest for Disney, however, has turned this case into the stepping stone for Trump’s political revenge agenda and a worse consequence for journalism at large. 

Following this lawsuit, Trump said that he plans to continue suing media outlets because “they’re very dishonest” and that “[w]e need a great media. We need a fair media.” [7] And sue he did. Trump has attempted to sue reputable outlets, such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, but his only notable victory dealt with CBS News this past summer. [16] Coincidentally, CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, was in the process of being sold to Skydance Media from Redstone, but needed government approval. Paramount, like Disney, settled their lawsuit with another multi-million dollar payment to Trump’s presidential library. [4] 

FCC political power 

Despite settling their lawsuit less than a year prior, ABC announced that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ would be pulled indefinitely off air after pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr following the host’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s death. Kimmel, known to speak out against Trump, spoke about Kirk’s death days afterwards, mocking Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s death in interviews. [8] In response, Carr, a Trump appointee, threatened to take legal action against ABC for Kimmel’s comments, a blatant move that kick-started the onslaught of measures taken by media outlets in the following days. 

Previously, in the pulling of CBS’ “The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert,” Carr had only echoed the statement announced by CBS, claiming the decision was based on financial issues. However, Colbert had just criticized parent company Paramount’s lawsuit settlement with Trump, and, just days after pulling Colbert’s show, Paramount’s merger had been approved by the FCC. [9] So, Carr’s public threat to ABC confirmed these supposed coincidences to strategic misuse of the FCC as an avenue for the legal-takedown of Trump’s enemies. 

Shortly after Carr’s threat, Nexstar and Sinclair, owners of ABC affiliate stations across the country, announced their plans to remove Kimmel’s show. Then Disney, ABC’s parent company, followed. All three companies had business ventures awaiting approval from the FCC at that time. [10]

Though Sinclair and Nexstar, two owners of large ABC affiliate stations quickly reinstated, coincidently following a significant drop in Disney’s stock value, Carr believes the support of Nexstar and Sinclair in this battle as a “turning point” for the FCC.  [11] Broadcast networks, including CBS, ABC, and NBC, have a license from the FCC that requires them to “act in public interest,” so Carr believes the FCC has failed to enforce this among networks. In his interview on FOX News following the reinstatement of Kimmel’s show, Carr shared his hope for the future now that “America’s broadcasters are standing up for the interests of their community.” [12] Under the guise of “public interest,” Brendan Carr has turned a regulatory agency into a political weapon, abusing his power outside of office to discredit and destroy any opposition to the president. 

Pentagon Press Policy 

Journalists in the Pentagon press room have adjusted to numerous censorship changes, largely due to national security concerns, over the decades of its existence. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently enforced a new pledge on Pentagon correspondents on the basis of what he calls “common sense.” [13] After initial complaints from news outlets, such as CNN, Fox News Media, ABC News Media and more, the department revised the policy’s wording. Despite this, the main principles stood: journalists would need permission to publish both classified and unclassified information given by the department, and have the potential to lose their press pass if they do not follow these guidelines.

As a result of the policy, 40 to 50 journalists handed in their press passes and waltzed out of the Pentagon following the 4 p.m. deadline set on October 15, including CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and even Fox News, a historically right-leaning company. [14] 

Even if journalists are removed from the Pentagon’s press room, they can still report on the briefings and information coming from the Pentagon. However, numerous correspondents shared that their proximity to the Pentagon, most of the time, mattered far more than the information they received. Tom Bowman, NPR’s Pentagon correspondent of 28 years, wrote an opinion on why he handed over his press pass, citing specific times he garnered key information by just walking the halls of the department and making relationships with officials there. [15]  

By creating this physical boundary between the Pentagon’s press room and its reporters, Hegseth has removed the check on the information shared about America’s national security and defense. Of course, reporters will continue to question the validity of Hegseth’s statements on his department’s operations, but without their physical presence, the public is left clueless on if their billions of tax-paying dollars are being abused by the Defense Department.

Conclusion 

Through his legal pursuits via his own executive power, or his appointees in outside departments and agencies, Trump has established an anti-media campaign unlike any American president. His actions against the media, both as corporations and their reputations, dismantle the power of the First Amendment’s freedom of the press and the American value that journalism is key to a functioning democracy. The future for the media remains in question: whether it will regain popularity post-Trump or if Americans have now shifted to an anti-institution culture as a result. 

Endnotes: 

1. Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, “Donald J. Trump (1st Term), Tweets of February 17, 2017,” The American Presidency Project, February 17,2017, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-february-17-2017. 

2. Ryan Mattimore, “Presidential Feuds With the Media Are Nothing New,” History, January 26, 2018, https://www.history.com/articles/presidents-relationship-with-press. 

3. Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, November 6, 1807, Manuscript/Mixed Material. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mtj.mtjbib017268. 

4. Michael R. Sisak, “ABC agrees to give $15 million to Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit,” The Associated Press, December 14, 2024, http://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68. 

5. Trump v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. 1:24-cv-21050, (S.D. Fla. Dec 14, 2024) ECF No. 58. 

6. Kirsten Eddy and Elisa Shearer, “How Americans’ trust in information from news organizations and social media sites has changed over time,” Pew Research Center, October 29, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/29/ how-americans-trust-in-information-from-news-organizations-and-social-media-sites-has-changed-over-time/. 

7. Hadas Gold, “Emboldened by ABC settlement, Trump threatens more lawsuits against the press,” CNN, December 16, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/16/media/trump-threaten-news-media-lawsuits-abc-settlement. 

8. New York Post, “Here’s What Jimmy Kimmel Said About Charlie Kirk: The Full Moment,” Youtube, September 17, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ATqJc2MjDY. 

9. Brooks Barnes, Michael M. Grynbaum, and John Koblin, “ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Off Air for Charlie Kirk Comments After F.C.C Pressure,” The New York Times, September 17, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/business/media/abc-jimmy-kimmel.html. 

10. David Folkenflik, “Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension shows power of FCC’s Brendan Carr,” NPR, September 19, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5546764/fcc-brendan-carr-kimmel-trump-free-speech. 

11. Yun Li, “Disney investors say handling of Jimmy Kimmel suspension put politics over shareholders, demand records,” CNBC, September 25, 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/jimmy-kimmel-disney-investors-politics-fiduciary-duty.html. 

12. Fox News, “‘TURNING POINT’: FCC chair speaks on Kimmel show suspension,” Youtube, September 18, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFLM591chps. 

13. Pete Hegseth, “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses General and Flag Officers at Quantico, Virginia,” September 30, 2025, https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4318689/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-addresses-general-and-flag-officers-at-quantico-v/. 

14. Daniel Arkin, “Five major broadcast networks say they won’t sign new Pentagon media policy,” NBC News, October 14, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-major-broadcast-networks-say-will-not-sign-new-pentagon-press-pol-rcna237526. 

15. Tom Bowman, “Opinion: Why I’m handing in my Pentagon press pass,” NPR, October 14, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g-s1-93297/pentagon-reporter-opinion-press-policy. 

16. Daisuke Wakabayashi and Michael M. Grynbaum, “Trump sues The New York Times for Articles Questioning His Success,” The New York Times, September 16, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/business/media/trump-lawsuit-new-york-times.html. 

Bibliography: 

Arkin, Daniel. “Five major broadcast networks say they won’t sign new Pentagon media policy.” 

NBC News, October 14, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-major-broadcast-networks-say-will-not-sign-new-pentagon-press-pol-rcna237526. 

Barnes, Brooks, Michael M. Grynbaum, and John Koblin,.“ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Off Air for Charlie Kirk Comments After F.C.C Pressure.” The New York Times, September 17, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/business/media/abc-jimmy-kimmel.html. 

Bowman, Tom. “Opinion: Why I’m handing in my Pentagon press pass.” NPR, October 14, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g-s1-93297/pentagon-reporter-opinion-press-policy. 

Eddy, Kirsten and Elisa Shearer. “How Americans’ trust in information from news organizations and social media sites has changed over time.” Pew Research Center, October 29, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/29/how-americans-trust-in-information-from-news-organizations-and-social-media-sites-has-changed-over-time/. 

Folkenflik, David. “Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension shows power of FCC’s Brendan Carr.” NPR, September 19, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5546764/fcc-brendan-carr-kimmel-trump-free-speech. 

Fox News. “‘TURNING POINT’: FCC chair speaks on Kimmel show suspension.” Youtube, September 18, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFLM591chps. 

Gold, Hadas. “Emboldened by ABC settlement, Trump threatens more lawsuits against the press.” CNN, December 16, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/16/media/trump-threaten-news-media-lawsuits-abc-settlement. 

Hegseth, Pete. “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses General and Flag Officers at Quantico, Virginia.” September 30, 2025. https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4318689/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-addresses-general-and-flag-officers-at-quantico-v/. 

Li, Yun. “Disney investors say handling of Jimmy Kimmel suspension put politics over shareholders, demand records.” CNBC, September 25, 2025. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/25/jimmy-kimmel-disney-investors-politics-fiduciary-duty.html. 

Mattimore, Ryan. “Presidential Feuds With the Media Are Nothing New.” History, January 26, 2018. https://www.history.com/articles/presidents-relationship-with-press. 

New York Post. “Here’s What Jimmy Kimmel Said About Charlie Kirk: The Full Moment.” Youtube, September 17, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ATqJc2MjDY. 

Peters, Gerhard and John T. Woolley. “Donald J. Trump (1st Term), Tweets of February 17, 2017.” The American Presidency Project, February 17,2017. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-february-17-2017. 

Sisak, Michael R. “ABC agrees to give $15 million to Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit.” The Associated Press, December 14, 2024. http://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68. 

Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, November 6, 1807. Manuscript/Mixed Material. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mtj.mtjbib017268. 

Trump v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. 1:24-cv-21050, (S.D. Fla. Dec 14, 2024) ECF No. 58. 

Wakabayashi, Daisuke and Michael M. Grynbaum. “Trump sues The New York Times for Articles Questioning His Success.” The New York Times, September 16, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/business/media/trump-lawsuit-new-york-times.html.