"The first year of the second Trump administration has already seen new heights in unlawful efforts to cut off access to information (and to punish newsrooms for doing their job). From unconstitutionally booting the Associated Press from the Oval Office because of its editorial stance, to creating unlawful press access policies at the Pentagon, the administration is desperately seeking to choke coverage it doesn't like. The currents shaping these efforts are only likely to intensify in 2026."
"The decimation of the federal workforce has put a particular strain on FOIA, which has never been adequately staffed or funded. Getting answers to FOIA requests - which was already almost impossible - has become even harder. As a telling example, while Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. promised "radical transparency," he gutted the FOIA offices at the department, stymying access to critical information at a time of upheaval in American healthcare."
Unlawful efforts by federal authorities have increased to cut off access to information and punish newsrooms, including booting the Associated Press from the Oval Office and imposing illegal press-access policies at the Pentagon. Federal workforce reductions have strained FOIA processing, making responses to requests far slower and less reliable. Department-level actions, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s promise of "radical transparency" followed by gutted FOIA offices, have further stymied access to critical healthcare information. States have enacted "buffer zone" laws criminalizing approaches to law enforcement and restricting information gathering. Local policies limiting public employees' communications and moves to restrict press access to executions also narrow reporting channels. Reporters and news organizations do not have to fight alone.
Read at Nieman Lab
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