WASHINGTON, D.C. President Donald Trump has rolled back a major safeguard for journalists, revoking policies that limited federal subpoenas of reporters’ phone records, sparking fears of government overreach and a renewed threat to press freedom.
The executive order, issued this week, dismantles a Biden-era directive that protected journalists from surveillance during leak investigations. Civil liberties groups have decried the move, warning it could chill investigative reporting and embolden government suppression of dissent.
“No one is above national security,” Trump said. “If reporters are harboring traitorous leaks, they will face consequences.”
Simultaneously, Trump called for the elimination of multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Education, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and USAID, as part of a broader effort to reduce federal spending and shrink government oversight.
“The era of bloated, useless bureaucracy is over,” Trump declared at a Phoenix rally. “We’re deleting waste and putting America first again.”
Critics argue the move could destabilize essential public services and damage America’s global credibility. Senate Democrats and several Republicans have vowed to fight the proposals in Congress.
As Trump accelerates his second-term agenda, observers say the administration is doubling down on populist reforms and executive authority, setting the stage for a tumultuous political battle in Washington.
