The Morning: Trump and the press

Plus, tariffs, Congo and the Oscars.

View in browser|nytimes.com March 3, 2025 Good morning. Today, our colleague David Enrich explores Trump's relationship with the media. We're also covering tariffs, Congo and the Oscars. President Trump  Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Trump and the press By David Enrich I write and edit business investigations. President Trump has spent years demonizing the press. He popularized the phrase "fake news" and branded journalists the "enemy of the people." He frequently sues news outlets. His administration is investigating broadcasters. Trump and his followers falsely claim that news organizations, including The Times, are bankrolled by the government. Bashing the press is a time-honored tradition for presidents of both parties. But Trump has gone much further, attacking the very notion of an independent news media, one that will refute his distortions. He wants journalists to parrot his views and face consequences if they don't. In today's newsletter, we'll look at how the president is already acting on his threats — and what additional peril the press faces in the Trump era. Trump vs. journalism Trump's crackdown on the press began almost immediately after he returned to office. The White House excluded Associated Press reporters from events because the wire service wouldn't reclassify the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. It plans to select which reporters and news outlets are part of the press pool that covers the president, a tactic used by authoritarian leaders. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating whether TV networks like CBS and PBS are operating in the public interest, as required by law. An administration official accused a Voice of America reporter of treason when he quoted someone who had criticized Trump. Media executives and lawyers expect more of the same. The Justice Department could prosecute reporters under anti-spying laws. Some news outlets are bracing for retaliatory investigations into their compliance with immigration and tax laws. For Trump personally, litigation remains a favorite cudgel. Last spring, he sued ABC News for defamation after an anchor erroneously said that Trump had been found liable for rape. (A jury found him liable for sexual abuse.) More recently, he sued CBS and The Des Moines Register, arguing that an edited TV interview and a faulty poll were akin to deceptive advertising. In addition, Trump's lawyers and aides often threaten news outlets with litigation over critical articles. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. Doug Mills/The New York Times Supreme Court protections Traditionally, lawsuits like these don't work. That's because a series of Supreme Court decisions, starting with New York Times v. Sullivan in 1964, made it hard for public figures to win defamation cases. The court didn't want the rich and powerful to be able to use litigation to muzzle the press or stop it from informing the public and exposing abuses. So the justices required public figures to prove that reporters knew what they published was false or acted with reckless disregard for accuracy. That is a high — but not insurmountable — bar. Trump and many other conservatives are pushing to overturn those precedents — a campaign I detail today in a Times Magazine article adapted from my forthcoming book, "Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful." Doing so would make it easier to sue the press. It would make even the threat of litigation much scarier for news outlets. A likely result: More publications would treat the rich and powerful gently. In recent years, the effort has gained momentum. Politicians and other public figures — including Trump, Sarah Palin and the Republican megadonor Steve Wynn — have asked judges to overturn or narrow the Sullivan precedents. At least two Supreme Court justices have endorsed that effort, though it's unclear whether any of their colleagues will join them. An intermediate option might be for the court to tighten the definition of who is a public figure so that more famous people could win libel suits. Harassing newsrooms Regardless of what happens to Sullivan, newsrooms already feel the impact of this anti-press campaign. Local politicians, business owners and others are using the legal system to harass small news organizations and independent journalists. Plaintiffs don't need to win in court in order to be effective. Defending against them is expensive and time-consuming. News organizations that get sued often find that insurance companies jack up premiums — or cut them off altogether. Sometimes editors have to choose between backing down or incurring years of overwhelming legal costs. Maybe it's just safer not to scrutinize that local mogul. Even some of the country's largest media organizations are finding that they are vulnerable. Why? Because they are owned by companies or individuals with interests before the Trump administration. Executives at Disney, which owns ABC, will pay $16 million to settle Trump's lawsuit in part because they didn't want the president to see their company as an enemy. Meanwhile, CBS's parent company, Paramount, needs F.C.C. approval to complete a multibillion-dollar merger. It's not a coincidence that Paramount is also considering a deal to resolve Trump's lawsuit against CBS. The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, scrapped its endorsement of Kamala Harris and drew praise from the White House last week for its plan to move the opinion section rightward. Amazon and Blue Origin, Bezos' other companies, have large federal contracts. Media lawyers and some of Trump's allies say the concessions have emboldened the president's legal team. More lawsuits are likely. They will probably be accompanied by other attempts to delegitimize the press — an important strategy for a White House that uses lies to advance its agenda. THE LATEST NEWS Trump Tariffs Extra tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China are set to begin tomorrow. Trump could yet pause them, but businesses are braced. "I'm basically in Hail Mary mode," one importer said. In response to Trump's tariff threats, Canada and Mexico have tried to show that they are increasing border security. China has made no such overtures. If the tariffs come into effect, Canada is ready to retaliate. More on the Trump Administration Trump directed federal agencies to consider ways of bypassing environmental regulations to expand timber production in national forests. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the measles outbreak in West Texas is a top priority. But he has shied away from loudly and directly encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated. There are now 100 active suits in federal court against Trump administration actions. The White House is mounting political attacks on judges who rule against it. Trump has severely damaged the government's ability to fight climate change, David Gelles, Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer write. So based, much wow: On X, Elon Musk tries to use the language of the internet to marshal his followers in support of DOGE. Israel-Hamas War Eli Sharabi Saher Alghorra for The New York Times On Oct. 7, Eli Sharabi gave himself up to gunmen to save his wife and teenage daughters. He emerged from nearly 500 days in Hamas captivity to learn that they had been killed. The first phase of the cease-fire in Gaza is over. Israel and Hamas have continued negotiations, but they are also preparing for a possible return to war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio bypassed Congress to send $4 billion in weapons to Israel. Mexico Mexico, spurred by the Trump administration, is cracking down on organized crime. Several cartel operatives said that, for the first time in years, they genuinely fear arrest or death. The U.S. Supreme Court will consider a Mexican lawsuit tomorrow that accuses American gunmakers of complicity in the trafficking of weapons used by cartels. The justices may be skeptical. More International News In the Donbas region.  Tyler Hicks/The New York Times Drones, rather than traditional weapons of war, do most of the killing in Ukraine. The shift could change the way wars are fought. In a small coastal city, Japan is fighting its largest wildfire in more than three decades. At least one person has died and authorities have ordered thousands to evacuate. Congo's large army is struggling to fight a much smaller militia, M23, which has swept through the eastern part of the country. Other Big Stories In Washington, D.C.  Jason Andrew for The New York Times In downtown Washington, figure skaters paid tribute to the 67 people who died in a plane crash above the Potomac River. Many of the victims were young skaters. The New York State Police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old at an upstate prison. Nine prisoners told The Times that corrections officers had beaten him brutally. Opinions The business elite remains firmly behind Trump, even if many of its members don't say so publicly. They may yet come to regret their support, Steven Rattner writes. In a time of lies, Margaret Renkl is keeping a running of lists of truths she doesn't want to lose sight of. Here is a column by David French on American damage. Subscribe Today The Morning highlights a small portion of the journalism that The New York Times offers. To access all of it, become a subscriber with this introductory offer. MORNING READS "The Last Day of Pompeii" by Karl Bryullov. World History Archive/Alamy Two thousand years later: Scholars still disagree on the day of the destruction of Pompeii. Two new studies fan the fire. As seen on TV: Sitcoms have a history of ushering in social progress, but that may be harder now. Focus challenge: Spend 10 uninterrupted minutes with this photo. Health: This nurse is a foot soldier in America's losing war with chronic disease. Wheels of fashion: S.U.V.s look like trucks again. Metropolitan Diary: Packed like sardines in silence. Lives Lived: Khalil Fong was a Hong Kong singer-songwriter who infused a soul and R&B sensibility into Chinese pop songs. He died at 41. SPORTS College basketball: South Carolina women's basketball will have the No. 1 overall seed in the SEC Tournament thanks to a coin-toss victory over No. 6 Texas. The teams ended the regular season in a tie. College football: Mason Alexander, an 18-year-old freshman cornerback at Pittsburgh, died in a car crash in Indiana. ARTS AND IDEAS The cast and crew of "Anora." Philip Cheung for The New York Times Sean Baker's "Anora," a comedy-drama about an exotic dancer from Brooklyn who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, won five Oscars and was the big winner of last night's awards. The movie, which cost just $6 million to make, took home best picture. Mikey Madison, its star, won best actress, and Baker won for directing, editing and his screenplay. The film's sweep is reflective of an academy that has become younger and edgier, Brooks Barnes writes. Elsewhere, "The Brutalist," a three-hour epic about a Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor, secured three awards, and "Wicked" took home two. See the full list of winners, including Melissa Kirsch's favorite, "I'm Still Here." More on the Oscars Adrien Brody and Halle Berry. Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times The Oscars red carpet is the show before the show. The Times captured tender moments and notable looks. As host, Conan O'Brien was joyful, impassioned and largely apolitical. Read about the best and worst moments from the ceremony. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook shrimp scampi with orzo, which simmers directly in the garlicky, buttery pan sauce. Read what to know about menopause hormone therapy. Jog while pushing your stroller. Organize your bathroom with a magnetic knife rack. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was adjudging. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. If you missed yesterday's newsletter, David Leonhardt has left The Morning after five years for a new job at The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018