In December 2024, the Des Moines Register found itself in a challenging situation when the Trump Administration filed a lawsuit against the newspaper under Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act. This followed the release of a poll indicating that Kamala Harris was leading Trump in the presidential race. Despite ultimately winning Iowa, Trump argued that the poll adversely affected his campaign in the state.

The lawsuit raised significant concerns about the freedom of the press in 2024 and remains just as prevalent today. This continuous tension between political interests and journalistic integrity is alarming, yet not surprising, given the constant pressure from the Trump administration to conform to their beliefs.

News organizations hold a responsibility to inform the public on matters of public interest, regardless of subject matter. Although the First Amendment safeguards the media’s ability to express information that may be critical of government officials and policies in theory, the same government is attempting to silence the dissent.

Suppressing speech, particularly that which challenges authority or mainstream narratives, only serves to undermine the very foundations of democratic discourse. Trump’s lawsuit against the register was only the start. It set a dangerous precedent for all media outlets attempting to call out the administration.

On Jan. 30, 2026, a little over a year since the lawsuit’s filing, a hearing was held regarding the litigation. According to the Des Moines Register, Ann Seltzer, represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, asked for an extension on the case, potentially until President Trump finishes his term in 2029. While the final ruling did not occur on Friday, Judge Scott Beattie believes that a written decision will occur within the next two weeks.

On that same Friday, I had the opportunity to meet Robert Corn-Revere, the lawyer representing Ann Selzer on behalf of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression in this case, during a lecture at the University of Iowa School of Law.

Robert Corn-Revere is a prominent First Amendment and media law attorney. He is a former partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Washington, D.C., and currently collaborates with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Corn-Revere took on this case out of a lifelong interest in media law. He expressed a personal connection in his conversation with me. “I hate bullies. And there’s no bigger bully than when the government tells you what you should think or what you should say,” he said.

Corn-Revere’s sentiment is almost too pertinent. His passion for combining journalism with the historical role of government in regulating that journalism.

In December of 2025, a significant and similar lawsuit emerged that captured national attention. This time, the Trump administration aggressively targeted major news outlets, particularly NPR and PBS, in a move that raised serious constitutional questions.

The administration sought to impose an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding to these organizations, arguing their coverage exhibited a bias against him. NPR strongly contended these claims stemmed from the administration’s inability to accept critical reporting.

Just Wednesday, another news network finds itself under fire simply for doing its job. According to The Washington Post, this week has seen the layoff of over 300 journalists. Executive Editor Matt Murray expressed concerns over the loss of both revenue and subscribers. This situation, however, can be traced back to the decisions made during the 2024 elections.

During that election cycle, Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, announced a controversial policy to discontinue all presidential endorsements, which at that time included support for Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

Following the implementation of this policy, The Washington Post experienced a significant drop in subscriber numbers. It seems unfair that journalists are facing the consequences when it is the decisions of those in power that have restricted their freedom of speech and the press.

It keeps happening all around us, and the issue is growing far more than we might realize. The attempt to silence us has infiltrated our lives in relatively smaller, more subtle ways.

“We have the same issues coming up in efforts to control public libraries,” Corn-Revere remarked. “They are created and funded, for the most part, by local governments.”

President Trump has repeatedly displayed a troubling pattern of rudeness and offensive remarks toward journalists. It’s well known that he harbors grudges against certain news networks and has attempted to undermine them or to bully them into submission.

For instance, according to The New York Times, during a press conference in the Oval Office on Feb. 4, he told CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, who was inquiring about the ongoing release of the Epstein files, to “smile more” and questioned her lack of a “pleasing” attitude.

While some might downplay this behavior as inoffensive, you must realize that this comes from the same man, our President, who dismissed another journalist by telling her “quiet piggy” for merely asking a question also related to the Epstein files just two months prior.

President Trump’s disrespect towards reporters is evidence of a broader strategy to silence his opposition. His actions are an attempt to make journalists feel inferior and pressured into submission, primarily because he disapproves of the media coverage directed at him. This mindset, rooted in the belief of possessing absolute power, is alarming and poses a direct threat to our First Amendment rights.

Corn-Revere views the situation regarding the Des Moines Register case as somewhat distinct. Rather than attempting to withdraw funding from a news outlet, the aim seems to be penalizing the newspaper simply for publishing results that displeased someone in power, which raises a direct First Amendment concern.

“If you don’t defend it, you’re not going to have it,” Corn-Revere said of the First Amendment. “And part of that is using it, understanding, from a personal perspective, that you have a voice and how you should use it.”

Today, many are trying to erase our history and make us forget the rights we possess. We cannot let this happen. The freedoms of speech and the press are essential for keeping those in power in check. If the government or any entity gains ultimate power without accountability, we stand on the brink of a possible dictatorship.

“One of the reasons we listen to our fellow citizens is because we’re bound to learn something,” Corn-Revere stated. “Even if the only thing we learn is what their perspective is.”

It is not too late to take action. Educate yourself about your history, understand your rights, and don’t hesitate to speak up. The First Amendment protects your right to free speech, which is precisely why it is the first one listed.

So, speak out and don’t be afraid to share your opinions, especially if you see something is wrong. Living in fear of backlash is how democracy crumbles; we need more voices to speak out more than ever before.