Part of the policy effectively criminalizes asking questions by assuming that questioner is a security risk and subject to prosecution under a law that prohibits "inducing" sources to share classified information.
The judges order required DoD to reissue press credentials and allow the affected news organizations back in the building. Hegseth's version of compliance was to issue press credentials that did not allow entry into the Pentagon, exiling the press to an "annex" outside the main building that does not yet exist.
This is just another example of the Trump Regime's dictatorial attempts to control all information and effectively eliminate the First Amendment, despite his claims of transparency and being a champion of free speech.
But what actions has the supposed free speech president taken since his inauguration? What comments has he made that point to future actions?
- He claimed that criticism of him on television was illegal. Recently his FCC Director pressured ABC/Disney to remove Jimmy Kimmel for remarks he made critical of Trump, that the regime characterized as celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk. ABC/Disney reversed their initial decision to remove Kimmel, but Trump has pushed for other comedians and talk show hosts who were critical of him to be removed.
- Pam Bondi, his Attorney General claimed that "hate speech", which she suggested was speech that the regime didn't like, was not included in free speech.
- Non-citizens, including those who were in the United States legally, had their visas or green cards revoked for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
- Trump says that peaceful protesters should be put in jail
- Universities are being forced to change their curricula if it does not line up with his ideology
- Investigations have been ordered into liberal organizations
- News organization covering the Pentagon were required to sign an agreement stating that they would not report information that hadn't been pre-approved
- Associated Press was removed from the White House press pool for refusing to use the term "Gulf of America"
- News organizations that reported negatively about Trump were threatened with investigations
- Private companies that have Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies are being threatened with federal investigation on the pretext that they are discriminatory
- Secret Service protection has been withdrawn from former officials who criticized Trump
- Several news organizations have been sued by Trump personally and have settled for hundreds of millions of dollars
- Pro-Palestinian activists are being investigated for their speech, characterizing it as "material support for terrorism"
- Law firms who represented clients opposed to Trump are being pressured
- Department of Justice employees who were involved in prosecutions of Trump were fired
- Of course, the most recent is the pressure from Trump and his top officials to go after anyone who spoke negatively about Charlie Kirk
Some of these items are overt actions, some are threats, others are just talk. But even the threats and talk have the effect of stifling dissent and free speech when it comes from the administration and the president himself. Trump supporters have attempted to debunk the opinion that Trump's actions amount to autocratic maneuvers. They say that since I can speak my mind and haven't been locked up (yet), and that millions have been able to protest on No Kings Day, that proves we are not a dictatorship. But elimination of a free press, freedom of speech and freedom to peacefully assemble to let the government know what our grievances are, doesn't necessarily happen all at once. The First Amendment is being chipped away, bit by bit.
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