Pam Bondi Erodes Press Protections, Reviving Trump-era Threats to Journalism

The U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has retracted critical protections for journalists put in place during the Biden administration, allowing federal investigators to access communications from media organizations in leak investigations. This move signals a troubling shift in the Justice Department’s stance, corresponding with the Trump administration’s continued hostility towards news outlets it perceives as adversarial.

In a memo obtained by CNN, Bondi claims that the previous administration offered excessive protections to media outlets and accused them of engaging in selective leaking. She stated, “Safeguarding classified, privileged, and other sensitive information is essential to effective government and law enforcement,” further asserting that unauthorized disclosures undermine Trump’s policies and harm the American people.

This policy reversal comes after the Trump administration had previously engaged in aggressive actions against journalists and their sources, signaling a return to tactics reminiscent of that era. Under Bondi, the Justice Department is expected to pursue inquiries into individuals leaking documents to the press, which could further threaten journalistic independence.

While Bondi assures that procedural protections will remain to limit the pursuit of news organization records, the implications of her memo suggest a reinvigorated approach to investigating media leaks. Advocates for press freedom, including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, emphasize that historical significant journalism depended on the protection of confidential sources, which is now at risk.

Journalistic integrity is under siege as this shift underscores the ongoing struggle between a free press and an administration that seeks to silence dissenting voices and manipulate news coverage to its advantage. The ramifications for investigative journalism and the broader implications for democracy are grave, as trust in the media continues to be undermined by authoritarian tendencies.

(h/t: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/justice-department-journalists-leaks/index.html)