The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has never been especially shy about standing up to Donald Trump, although it mostly criticizes him from the right, on topics such as tariffs, deficits, and other issues that are out of line with the Journal’s pro-business ethos.
This week, in a new editorial, the Journal went after Trump for something else: a series of recent moves that the Journal ripped as overreaching when it comes to the press. “Trump’s Lawfare Against the Free Press” is the title of the editorial.
“President Trump has taunted the media for years, and some of his jibes are deserved, given the groupthink in most newsrooms. What’s happening now, though, is different: The President is using government to intimidate news outlets that publish stories he doesn’t like. It’s a low move in a free country with a free press,” the Editorial Board said.
Examples include the settlement recently agreed to by the president with CBS News, with government approval of a merger between Skydance and Paramount implicitly in the balance, as well as a threat to prosecute CNN for reporting about the existence of an app called ICEBlock, which warns people if ICE agents are nearby.
WSJ editorial board: “The President is using government to intimidate news outlets that publish stories he doesn’t like. It’s a low move in a free country with a free press.”https://t.co/Jpe9wJrbNB
— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) July 3, 2025
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“We’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them for that, because what they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities, operations,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this week. “What they’re doing, we believe, is illegal.”
Trump went on to agree with that, while also suggesting CNN be prosecuted for reporting accurately on the existence of a government intelligence report about the recent Iran strikes.
The Journal does not agree.
“What’s wrong is thinking this is illegal. Traffic apps such as Waze and Google Maps sometimes warn drivers that other users have flagged police activity or speed traps ahead on public roads. ICEBlock isn’t operated by CNN, which merely ran a story on its existence,” the Journal wrote.
