Don’t Back Down to Trump’s Attacks on Press Freedom

Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and its respected pollster, Ann Selzer, is a baseless attack on press freedom. Emboldened by the absurd $15 million settlement in Trump’s lawsuit against ABC News, Trump is now escalating his war on the press—wielding legal threats to intimidate journalists and pollsters into silence. The Register must stand firm and refuse to back down.

Pollsters and journalists must be free to do their work without fear of frivolous lawsuits meant to punish them for telling the truth. Trump’s actions are designed to intimidate and discredit anyone who challenges him, undermining trust in independent reporting and data-driven journalism that are vital for an informed public.

As Professor Samantha Barbas of the University of Iowa College of Law put it, “It’s clear that Trump is waging war on the press. Trump and his lawyers are going to use any legal claim that they think has a chance of sticking. They’ll cast a wide net to carry out this vendetta.” Trump’s vendetta against the media is not just an attack on one newspaper; it’s an attack on the U.S. Constitution and democracy itself.

The Des Moines Register has long been a trusted source of news and analysis. Now, it must defend itself—and the principles of a free press—against Trump’s baseless legal attack. Giving in would only embolden Trump to escalate these assaults on the media, setting a dangerous precedent that threatens press freedom nationwide.

We call on the Des Moines Register to stand strong in the face of Trump’s attacks on press freedom and refuse to settle this lawsuit. The press must remain independent, fearless, and free from intimidation.

Sign this petition to show solidarity with the Des Moines Register and urge it to defend the free press against Trump’s attacks. An attack on one newsroom is an attack on all of us—and on democracy itself.