Federal Impacts on Independent Journalism

In 2025, the Trump administration took aim at journalism on all levels, from rescinding federal funding for public broadcasting to limiting which journalists can be present for press releases and media briefs in the White House. Additionally, the Department of Defense imposed restrictions on Pentagon reporting, prompting nearly every journalist in the Pentagon press pool to turn in their access badges in protest. The potential emergence in the U.S. of an environment in which longstanding media sources are censored or blocked from reporting may require planners to find new tactics and strategies for identifying key issues, developing solutions, and building widespread community consensus.