RSF: Trump's lawsuits against the media have no legal basis, but harm American press freedom

According to «Reporters Without Borders», Trump's recent settlement with ABC News could set a «terrible precedent for other media outlets to bow to the president-elect's legal threats rather than fight back in court».

A few weeks before his inauguration for a second term, US President-elect Donald Trump has filed lawsuits against several media outlets, demonstrating that he has already begun to carry out threats made during the campaign. «Reporters Without Borders» (RSF) called on the media not to succumb to pressure and to uphold the principles of press freedom.

Recently, American media platform ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by President-elect Donald Trump, issuing a public apology and donating $15 million to fund Trump's future presidential library.

However, according to RSF, this peace agreement can create a “terrible precedent for other media outlets that will bow to the newly elected president's legal threats instead of fighting back in the courts”. It may also contribute to the creation of an environment in which Trump's campaign of intimidation successfully encourages self-censorship of journalists.

After the agreement with ABC News, on December 16, Trump filed another lawsuit against The Des Moines Register newspaper and pollster J. Ann Seltzer for a poll released before the 2024 election that showed his election opponent Kamala Harris leading in Iowa. In the lawsuit, the publication of the survey is called a «fiction about election interference».

«Before returning to office, President-elect Trump is pursuing a campaign of legal intimidation against the media for publishing journalism he doesn’t like. Trump doesn’t need to win in court for his vengeful enforcement campaign to work. These lawsuits are taking away media resources that are badly needed elsewhere, especially for smaller media outlets that don’t have the means to withstand well-funded legal attacks or coordinated political attacks from Trump and his allies. Media owners should not give in», — said RSF USA Executive Director Clayton Weimers.

Trump previously sued CBS over an allegedly «biased» interview’on «60 Minutes» with Kamala Harris. He also wrote on his social network Truth Social that «CBS should lose its license».

Trump has called on the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the broadcast licenses of television stations at least 15 times. In particular, the president-elect called for ABC News to be punished after the network aired his debate with Harris. Trump previously said that Comcast — the parent company of NBC News and MSNBC — would be investigated for «treason» if he wins the election. He also filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the Washington Post.

According to RSF, Trump insulted, attacked or threatened the media at least 108 times in public speeches or remarks from September 1 to October 24. This figure does not include social media posts or comments from other campaign associates.

RSF believes that Trump should recognize that journalism is a necessary part of democracy, rather than redoubling his hostility to the media.

«Intimidation of journalists and the media is a destructive process that leaves Americans without access to reliable information. Instead, the president-elect can seize the opportunity to restore the domestic climate of press freedom and reposition the United States as a world leader in press freedom. Media companies, for their part, should not succumb to Trump's pressure as long as the law is on their side», — the international organization summarized.