Trump ramps up press pressure over Iran war coverage

The Trump administration is ramping up its attacks on the press as it struggles to control its messaging about the war in Iran. The big picture: History suggests that when press freedoms are targeted during times of war, they're rarely reinstated.

The big picture: Over the past few weeks, the administration has threatened news outlets with regulatory retaliation and blocked access over their coverage of the war with Iran.

FCC chair Brendan Carr on Saturday threatened to revoke broadcast licenses if war coverage did not "operate in the public interest." His comments came shortly after the president criticized the press on Truth Social for its coverage, alleging the media "actually want us to lose the War."

State of play: Carr's threats can be seen as an attempt to spook broadcasters that need FCC approval for broader deals.

While the FCC has the authority to revoke local broadcast licenses when they come up for renewal in 2028, it's likely those efforts would face serious challenges in court.

Zoom in: Threats against the press have ramped up at the Pentagon as the Defense Department struggles to control its messaging about the war.

The Pentagon in recent days has started to tighten its grip over the independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes after asserting that the paper was too focused on "woke distractions," according to NPR. A reporter from The Atlantic last week said they, along with other print photographers, were denied access to a Pentagon press briefing last Thursday. The Washington Post reported the Defense Department was barring photographers from briefings because Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's staff took issue with images taken during a briefing the previous week. Hegseth later that week reprimanded reporters during a briefing on Friday for their coverage. He called out CNN specifically for a story that alleged the Trump administration underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Between the lines: The U.S. has spent years investing in government-funded broadcasters, such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, that can reach developing countries with accurate news and information, especially during times of conflict.

Policymakers, including Republicans, have criticized the administration's attempt to gut government-funded broadcasters amid increased escalations and internet blackouts in Iran. Jennifer Griffin, Fox News' chief national security correspondent, reported last month that VOA's Persian service has been used to urge the people of Iran to rise up against the Iranian leadership. That directive has ruffled the feathers of staffers inside the VOA, who believe such a mandate violates the broadcaster's charter, Axios has reported.

Reality check: The Trump administration isn't the first to try to manipulate wartime coverage, but its efforts are more brazen.

The Pentagon has been criticized for its 2003 reporter embed program that gave journalists close but skewed access to military activity during the Iraq War.

Zoom out: Temporary measures introduced to crack down on the media during the outset of military conflicts tend to become permanent, even after the conflict has subsided.

Al Jazeera remains banned in Israel, following a measure passed in 2024 during the Gaza war that allows the government to take action against any foreign media network that it can prove poses a national security risk. Today, Israel is considered one of the top jailers of journalists globally. Western news outlets remain largely absent from Russia following the passage of the Kremlin's 2022 Ukraine wartime law that imposes up to 15 years in prison for critical coverage.

The bottom line: Once considered a bastion for press freedoms, the U.S. track record for treatment of the fourth estate is now considered "problematic," according to Reporters Without Borders.