The Trump administration threatened to slash federal spending on mainstream news subscriptions while pouring money into friendly platforms like Fox News.
Why it matters: The selective funding underscores how the administration is using taxpayer dollars to amplify messaging and sympathetic voices.
The Trump administration has rolled back policies that restricted law enforcement efforts to seize reporters' phone records and threatened prosecutions.
Why it matters: These efforts could create a chilling effect on independent reporting, press freedom experts argue.
The Trump administration has reshaped the Federal Trade Commission to enforce its political priorities by firing commissioners, investigating advocacy groups and requiring unusual conditions for deal approvals.
Why it matters: The moves have introduced politicized oversight of the advertising market, which underpins the national media market.
Roughly 5% of President Trump's Truth Social posts have targeted the media since his second inauguration, according to an Axios analysis.
That count only reflects posts with unique commentary from the president. It doesn't include hundreds of reposts from other accounts discussing the press.
Why it matters: Trump's outsized attention on the media has been reflected in his policy priorities during his second term.
President Trump said on social media early Saturday that the U.S. struck Venezuela, "captured" President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of his oil-rich South American country along with his wife.
The world-shaking announcement follows Trump's months-long pressure campaign against Maduro.
Why it matters: The U.S. military has been targeting Venezuelan ships accused of carrying drugs, as part of an effort by Trump to force strongman Maduro, 63, from power.
Traffic to top websites has fallen by more than 11% in the past five years, according to data from Similarweb — a clear sign of the challenges traditional publishers face in the AI era.
Why it matters: Internet usage and adoption continue to grow, but older websites are struggling to keep up as newer AI-driven experiences start to dominate user attention.
Elon Musk'sGrok recently allowed users to generate explicit images of children, including an underage "Stranger Things" actress.
Why it matters: The incidents underscore how the chatbot — which is authorized for official government use — can spread harm and endanger minors, a reality that could become more frequent as AI adoption accelerates.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping who police stop, how reports are written, where officers patrol and how evidence is analyzed.
Why it matters: The tech promises speed and efficiency. But its rapid spread is outpacing public rules, and could embed errors and bias deep within the criminal justice system.
