“…Democracy is in retreat across the world. Aspiring strongmen are undermining the laws, norms, and institutions that are the bedrock of free societies. A primary target of this project is the press — because when journalists are kept from providing independent information to the public, it becomes far easier for those in power to act with impunity. My colleagues and I have spent more than a year studying the anti-press playbook used in places like Hungary, India, Brazil and Turkey. Today, we’re seeing these same tactics deployed in the United States, a country long synonymous with press freedom. The playbook has five core elements:
- Sow distrust in independent news organizations and normalize the harassment of journalists.
- Exploit the civil courts to impose financial pressure.
- Weaponize legal and regulatory authority – things like consumer protections, civil rights laws, and broadcast regulations.
- Encourage wealthy and powerful allies to launch their own attacks.
- Use access and other levers of power not just to punish independent journalists but also to reward partisan media willing to echo the official line.
If the free press is a watchdog, the playbook seeks to make it a lapdog. Each element in this playbook is apparent in the escalating anti-press campaign by the Trump administration. Many of you have experienced these tactics firsthand. The Times has been a not-infrequent target as well. We spend nearly 10 times more today than we did a decade ago to protect the safety, security and legal rights of our journalists. So I’m certainly cleareyed about the pressure being brought to bear. But I also believe there are clear steps we can all take….”
