How might Trump's second term affect the free press?

The president-elect has previously pledged to go after his supposed 'enemies' in the media

Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on August 08, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida
Trump will likely attempt to quash negative coverage of him in the press through lawsuits in his second term
(Image credit: Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump pledged throughout his campaign that he'd go after those he viewed as his "enemies" if elected; this largely included members of the media and news industry. And with Trump moving back into the White House in less than a month, it appears that he is planning to do just that.

Even before beginning his second term, a pair of high-profile cases have highlighted Trump's animosity toward the media. The first came when ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with Trump for $15 million. The former president sued the network for claiming that he had been found civilly liable for raping E. Jean Carroll; Trump was found liable for sexual assault, but not rape. Trump is also suing pollster J. Ann Selzer and The Des Moines Register for a Nov. 2 poll showing Kamala Harris up by three points in Iowa, claiming this amounted to "election interference." Trump ultimately won Iowa by double digits.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.