Will the media’s libel protection last in the age of Trump?

Published April 14, 2025 8:00am ET



Conservatives have long had their sights set on revisiting a Supreme Court case that set a high bar for public officials to prove the media defamed them, but President Donald Trump’s return to power has put a spotlight on this key press protection.

The Right’s interest in changing the New York Times v. Sullivan precedent gained traction after Trump went to war with the media during his 2016 campaign and as polls showed trust in news outlets declining.

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