Trump’s War On Leaks: Is Journalism The Next Casualty?
Abuse doesn’t need to happen today. It just needs to remain possible. And history shows that no government, Left or Right, can resist the temptation to censor or punish dissent.
When Donald Trump returned to office in 2025, he vowed to “end the weaponization of government censorship once and for all.”
His Executive Order — Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship — was welcomed by many, including myself.
As a journalist — even one who focuses mainly on medicine, science, and public health — the idea that the federal government would no longer collude with media giants to control speech was a breath of fresh air.
After years of watching legitimate dissent silenced across digital platforms, a genuine commitment to free expression seemed not only necessary but long overdue.
Now, that optimism is being tested.
On April 25, Trump’s Attorney General, Pam Bondi, issued a new memorandum updating the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) policies on how information involving members of the press should be handled.
It has many questioning whether the administration’s commitment to a free press is as solid as promised.
The Left, in particular, responded immediately and fiercely.
The Left Says Trump Will “Destroy Journalism”
Within hours of Bondi’s memo being made public, left-leaning outlets warned that the new administration was on the verge of crushing press freedoms.
Newsweek ran the headline, “Trump Admin Rolls Back Biden Protections for Journalists” suggesting the new rules would force reporters to testify about their sources or turn over their notes.
Others warned of the “chilling effect” for investigative journalism, framing Bondi’s policy as a thinly veiled attempt to intimidate reporters and whistleblowers.
Social media commentary was even more dire, with predictions of the “criminalisation” of journalism and declarations that “press freedom is dead.”
These voices suggested that Bondi’s memo was a blueprint for gutting the First Amendment and silencing dissent.
But once I read the memo for myself, the reality appeared less clear-cut — though I remain cautious.
https://thefreethoughtproject.com/information-war/trumps-war-on-leaks-is-journalism-the-next-casualty