Legal Threats and Calls to Overturn Landmark Libel Protections Intensify Under Trump Administration

David Enrich's new book highlights a coordinated push to weaken press freedoms as lawsuits and rhetoric against journalists escalate.

David Enrich's book, 'Murder the Truth,' documents a growing campaign to overturn the New York Times v. Sullivan precedent, which protects journalists from defamation lawsuits unless 'actual malice' is proven.
The movement to weaken press protections has gained momentum, with Donald Trump and allies advocating for changes to libel laws and leveraging lawsuits to intimidate journalists.
Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch have publicly called for revisiting Sullivan, while other justices' positions remain uncertain, raising concerns about potential shifts in precedent.
Smaller and independent news outlets face significant financial and operational strain from escalating legal threats, with some forced to shut down or abandon investigative reporting.
Enrich warns of increasing physical and digital threats to journalists, fueled by incendiary rhetoric from political leaders, and highlights the chilling effect on accountability journalism.