Investigations and Harassment

FCC investigates Disney’s ABC-owned television station licenses

The Federal Communications Commission’s media bureau announced it is reviewing Disney’s ABC-owned television station licenses several years before they are due for renewal as part of a broader investigation into whether Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices have violated federal laws against discrimination. It is extremely rare for the FCC to conduct early license renewal reviews. Though the FCC’s order states that the decision is related to an investigation it had opened back in March 2025, many media watchers noted that the order comes just days after President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump called on ABC to fire talk show host Jimmy Kimmel for a joke about Melania Trump having the glow of an “expectant widow.” FCC chair Brendan Carr had previously pressured ABC into taking Kimmel’s show briefly off-air in September over comments he made about the assasination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. 

More from Poynter:

• The Trump world is targeting Jimmy Kimmel again. This time, it’s Melania.
• The FCC is reviewing ABC’s licenses. The message is clear.
• An unlikely ally warns the FCC is going too far in the Jimmy Kimmel fight

Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes ombudsman

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell fired Jacqueline Smith, the ombudsman for Stars and Stripes, a newspaper owned and partially funded by the Department of Defense. Parnell did not give Smith a reason for her termination, but Smith wrote in an op-ed that she believed it was retaliation for her decision to speak out against the Pentagon’s plan to overhaul the paper. Though Stars and Stripes, which covers the military, is editorially independent, the Pentagon announced in January that it was planning to change to the paper so that it included more government releases and less “woke” content. In her op-ed, Smith wrote, “No one should be surprised that they’re kicking out the one person charged by Congress with protecting Stars and Stripes’ editorial independence,” and cited several examples of the Pentagon’s attempts to both influence the paper and to restrict other outlets. 

FBI director Kash Patel sues The Atlantic over negative coverage

FBI director Kash Patel sued The Atlantic for defamation after it published a story that alleged he had “alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.” Patel stated that The Atlantic had published multiple false statements in the piece in an attempt to damage his reputation and “drive him from office.” The Atlantic, however, has defended its reporting, which was based on several current and former anonymous officials. Patel’s lawsuit against The Atlantic mirrors similar moves President Donald Trump has made in suing outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, for coverage he dislikes.  

More from Poynter:

• Kash Patel sued The Atlantic. Can he actually win?
• After an explosive report on his conduct, FBI Director Kash Patel threatens to sue The Atlantic

Pentagon cancels wire services for Stars and Stripes

The Department of Defense distributed a memo among top Pentagon leadership stating that the Stars and Stripes must stop “purchasing or contracting for news stories, features, syndicated columns, comic strips, and editorial cartoons” as part of a broader “modernization effort.” It further added that the publication, which covers the U.S. armed forces and is owned by the Department of Defense, should republish content from the department’s public affairs office. Stripes leadership said the memo was written without their input, and press freedom advocates said the new content restrictions are an infringement of the Stripes’ editorial independence. Department leadership have previously stated that the Stripes should publish less “woke” content.

FBI investigates New York Times reporter

The FBI began investigating New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson for breaking federal stalking laws after she published a story about bureau director Kash Patel’s girlfriend Alexis Wilkins on Feb. 28. The agency told the Times that they had looked into whether Williamson’s “aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking” before ultimately dropping the matter. Williamson, however, followed “normal” reporting procedures and only had one phone call and several email exchanges with Wilkins, according to the Times. In investigating Williamson, the FBI searched bureau databases for information about her and recommended initiating a preliminary investigation, but Department of Justice officials were concerned that such an inquiry would be retaliatory, the Times reported. The FBI denied ever investigating Williamson.  

More from Poynter:

• The FBI’s search of a Washington Post reporter’s home is rare — and part of a growing pattern
• Why the FBI’s raid on a Washington Post reporter crosses a dangerous line

Federal Trade Commission warns Apple News against non-disclosure of ‘ideological favoritism’

Federal Trade Commission chair Andrew Ferguson sent Apple CEO Tim Cook a letter warning him that Apple News may be in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices. Apple News suppressed news articles from conservative outlets while promoting those from liberal publications, Ferguson alleged, citing a study conducted by a conservative media watchdog group. The suppression of certain ideological perspectives could be a violation of the FTC Act if it is “inconsistent with Apple’s terms of service or the reasonable expectations of consumers,” Ferguson wrote. This is not the first time President Donald Trump’s administration has used the FTC to investigate groups it perceives to have a leftist bias. In May, the FTC launched an investigation into Media Matters, a liberal nonprofit that produces reporting on conservative misinformation.

FCC launches investigation into ‘The View’

The Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into ABC’s daytime talk show “The View” over a possible violation of the agency’s “equal time” rule. The rule requires that broadcast television stations provide equal air time to political candidates, and the investigation will examine whether Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s appearance on “The View” constitutes a violation. Traditionally, talk shows have qualified for an exemption to the rule under the belief that interviews with political candidates constitute “bona fide” news. In January, however, FCC chair Brendan Carr issued new guidance stating that talk shows should not presume that they qualify for the exemption and must instead petition the FCC to grant it an exemption.  

DOJ accuses Don Lemon of violating the law while covering protest

The Department of Justice attempted to charge independent journalist Don Lemon for violating a law prohibiting people from interfering with places of religious worship after he reported live from a protest in a Minneapolis church. Lemon had livestreamed a Jan. 18 protest targeting a pastor, who also worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in the church. During the livestream, Lemon interviewed activists leading the anti-ICE protest, parishioners and a pastor. Two days later, the DOJ filed a criminal complaint accusing Lemon and others present at the scene, including activists, of breaking the law. (Another independent journalist, Georgia Fort, was also “briefly listed as a defendant in early court filings,” the Pioneer Press reported.) In his livestream, Lemon made it clear that he was not there as an activist participating in the protest but as a journalist. 

Pentagon announces overhaul of Stars and Stripes to eliminate ‘woke distractions’

Department of Defense leaders announced they will overhaul the Stars and Stripes, a department-owned outlet covering the armed forces, so that it includes more government releases and less “woke” content. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell posted on X that the Stripes would stop reprinting content from The Associated Press and focus on “warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY” instead of “woke distractions that syphon morale.” The new Stripes will also feature content written by active-duty service members instead of civilian journalists, and half of the Stripes website will be devoted to material created by Defense staff, such as photos from combat cameras, The Daily Wire reported. Stripes journalists have objected to the overhaul, which they fear will interfere with the paper’s mandate from Congress to be editorially independent. 

DOJ subpoenas The Washington Post and executes search of reporter’s home

FBI agents conducted an early morning search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home in connection with a media leak investigation. That same morning, the Post received a subpoena seeking any materials related to the investigation, which targets government contractor Aurelio Perez-Lugones, who has been accused of mishandling classified materials. Among the items seized during the search were a work laptop, a personal laptop, a work cellphone, a work voice recorder, a portable hard drive and a Garmin watch. A few weeks prior to the search, Natanson — who covers President Donald Trump’s reshaping of the government and its effects — wrote a personal essay stating that she’d developed more than 1,100 confidential sources over the course of her reporting. Press freedom advocates highlighted the extreme nature of the search, which some said violated the law and the First Amendment.

More from Poynter:

• Why the FBI’s raid on a Washington Post reporter crosses a dangerous line
• The FBI’s search of a Washington Post reporter’s home is rare — and part of a growing pattern

US Agency for Global Media violates Voice of America’s editorial independence

Stretching back to at least Jan. 7, the U.S. Agency for Global Media has interfered with Voice of America’s editorial independence, censoring certain news topics while repeating White House talking points, according to Voice of America journalists. While Voice of America is entirely funded by USAGM and is technically a part of the agency, it is by law editorially independent. That has not stopped USAGM from taking actions such as banning coverage of anti-government protests in Iran and publishing unbalanced stories that exclusively quote Trump administration officials. Under President Donald Trump and his ally Kari Lake, USAGM has repeatedly attempted to diminish Voice of America and its independent reporting over the past year, placing hundreds of reporters on administrative leave and cutting back on its news reporting. 

More from Poynter:

• A year after Trump administration cuts, Voice of America and its sister outlets are mostly shadows of their former selves
• ‘I am angry most of the time’: Inside a small VOA cohort’s return to work

Trump sues the BBC

President Donald Trump sued the BBC for defamation over a 2024 documentary the British public broadcaster produced that featured an edited clip of a speech he made on Jan. 6, 2021. The lawsuit, which demands $10 billion in damages and was filed in federal court in Miami, also accuses the BBC of violating state laws prohibiting “deceptive and unfair trade practices” and claims the outlet sought to influence the 2024 presidential election. The documentary in question splices two segments of Trump’s speech, giving the impression that he had directly encouraged his supporters to engage in violence. The BBC had previously apologized for the edit, and top officials at the organization resigned in November. Trump had previously sued The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for defamation.  

More from Poynter:

• BBC resignations over a Trump speech edit show the high cost of editorial mistakes in a polarized era

State Department orders officers to deny H-1B visas to those working in fact-checking

The State Department sent a memo to its consular officers ordering them to review the resumes and LinkedIn profiles of H-1B visa applicants and their accompanying family members for any evidence that they have worked in “areas that include activities such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others,” Reuters reported. H-1B visas are granted to foreign nationals seeking to work in the United States. The aim of the new policy is to identify and deny visas to anyone who engages in “censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression,” according to the memo. That justification echoes a common conservative talking point that fact-checking and identifying misinformation and disinformation is an act of censorship — one that journalists working in the fact-checking space deny. The Trump administration has previously revoked visas of people who engage in speech the administration disfavors including, most prominently, university students who have expressed support for Palestine and its people.

Stars and Stripes asks job applicants about support for Trump’s policies

Since at least November, candidates applying for jobs at Stars and Stripes through a federal portal have faced questions about how they would advance President Donald Trump’s agenda, according to The Washington Post. Though the Stripes is editorially independent, it is owned by the Department of Defense, which contributes half of the publication’s funding. Job seekers must apply through the federal government’s employment portal, which asks applicants questions like, “How would you advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?” and, “Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.” Stripes leaders said the Office of Personnel Management added the questions without consulting them and that answering the questions is optional. They added that the paper remains committed to its goal of objectivity in covering the United States armed forces. 

White House launches ‘media bias portal’

The White House launched a webpage with a list of media outlets and journalists it alleges have published “false and misleading” stories. Each entry in the list includes an article the White House claims is false, the names of the journalist who wrote it and the outlet they work for, a correction from the White House and a source for the correction — oftentimes a link to a statement from a member of the administration. The list includes large national newsrooms, like The Washington Post and CBS News, as well as smaller local outlets like Wisconsin Public Radio and the New Jersey Monitor. The website also includes a form allowing users to submit “tips” — links to “biased” articles. The list aims to “combat the baseless lies, purposely omitted context, and outright left-wing lunacy of the Fake News Media,” according to the White House.