President Donald Trump has intensified his campaign against major news organizations in 2025, deploying lawsuits, regulatory threats, and executive actions that collectively represent a significant shift in the relationship between the White House and the press.
In July, after reaching a 16 million settlement with CBS and its parent company Paramount over a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump took to Truth Social to renew his attacks on networks he accuses of bias. He criticized NBC for declining ratings, accused ABC of spreading false information, and warned that their broadcast licenses “could, and should, be revoked.” He extended the warning to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and MSNBC, declaring that their “deceit” would no longer be tolerated.
Days later, Trump singled out NBC’s parent company Comcast, derisively labeling it “Concast,” and claimed networks were not permitted to act as “political pawns for the Democrat Party.”
The CBS settlement followed earlier legal victories, including a 15 million settlement with ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos in December 2024. ABC issued an on-air apology and acknowledged that a broadcast had mischaracterized Trump’s liability in the E. Jean Carroll civil case. Stephanopoulos used the word rape.
In mid-July 2025, Trump filed a 10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent companies Dow Jones and News Corp, two Journal reporters, and News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch. The suit, filed in federal court in Miami, alleges that an article describing a sexually suggestive birthday note linked to a Jeffrey Epstein tribute book was false and defamatory. Trump has requested an expedited deposition of Murdoch, who is 94, citing age and health concerns.
The Journal has moved to dismiss the case, arguing that its reporting is protected under the First Amendment and accurately reflects congressional records. The newspaper says the article did not allege definitively that Trump authored the note, and that Trump cannot demonstrate new reputational harm.
Legal analysts say the lawsuit against Murdoch signals that Trump’s litigation strategy now extends even to longtime conservative allies.
On Sept. 19, a federal judge in Florida dismissed President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House, calling the 85-page filing “improper” and granting 28 days to submit a shorter amended complaint. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday said the complaint relied on invective rather than a clear legal claim; the Times welcomed the ruling, while Trump’s lawyers said they plan to refile. The case targeted three Times articles and a book by two of its reporters.
Beyond individual lawsuits, Trump has advanced broader structural changes. On May 1, he issued Executive Order 14290, rescinding federal funding for NPR and PBS under the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Two months later, Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which clawed back $1.1 billion from CPB.
By August, CPB announced it would shut down entirely, ceasing grantmaking operations by September. Before closing, CPB issued its final community service grants to local stations.
Trump’s influence over the Federal Communications Commission has also expanded. The FCC, led by Trump appointees, has indicated it will scrutinize broadcast license renewals and evaluate mergers partly on whether companies have diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
On September 16, 2025, it was announced that Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show would be pulled off the air, after a monologue the night before in which he mocked conservative reactions to the September 10 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Disney-owned ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! temporarily, beginning September 17, and major affiliate groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, replaced the program in their lineups.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr went further, warning that “we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” and threatened regulatory consequences if ABC and Disney did not act, calling Kimmel’s comments “truly sick.”
After a six-day absence, ABC announced on September 22 that the show would return, and Kimmel resumed hosting on September 23. In his comeback monologue, he said he never intended to make light of Kirk’s killing, acknowledged the criticism, and defended free expression against what he described as external political pressure.
President Trump seized on Kimmel’s suspension, praising ABC’s decision and lambasting the comedian and network on Truth Social, writing that ABC told the White House Kimmel’s show was canceled and complaining that his “audience is GONE” and his “talent was never there.” Ahead of Kimmel’s return, Trump posted that “We’re going to test ABC out on this,” referencing his past success with a $16 million settlement from ABC and implying further legal or regulatory pressure. He also characterized ABC’s support for Kimmel as a “major illegal campaign contribution” to Democrats. In response, Kimmel addressed Trump’s post during his return monologue, mocking the notion that Trump was not threatening the network while doing so again, and defending the necessity of resisting political pressure on broadcasters.
The FCC is currently reviewing a proposed Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, which would consolidate control of several major entertainment and news outlets. Analysts say the merger could concentrate media influence under entities more willing to align with Trump or avoid his criticism.
Throughout his second term, Trump has relied on Truth Social as his central channel for announcements and commentary. He posts frequently — more than 2,200 times between January and June, according to independent analysis — using the platform to attack critics, amplify allies, and issue directives.
Analysts warn that Trump’s combination of lawsuits, executive orders, and regulatory oversight represents a comprehensive strategy to reshape U.S. media. Whether these efforts lead to long-term structural change or face resistance in the courts remains an open question.
