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How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

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Incidents: surveillance and subpoenas in the United States, national level

Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.

13 incidents match this view.

Country: United States (13)

Continent: North America (13)

Tactic: Surveillance and subpoenas (13) Secrets and espionage laws (4) Detention and violence (1) Funding and ownership pressure (1)

Outcome: Reversed (4) Sustained (4) Unknown (3) Upheld by a court (2)

Level: National (13)

Head of government: Barack Obama (4) Richard Nixon (3) Donald Trump (2) Joe Biden (2) George W. Bush (1) Dwight D. Eisenhower (1)

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
July 10, 2026Customs officers seize Grayzone editor's phones at Virginia airport over Iran reportingUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpReversed (July 17, 2026)
April 25, 2025United States: Department of Justice rescission of rules limiting subpoenas of journalists, April 2025United StatesSurveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpSustained (April 25, 2025)
November 6, 2021FBI raids Project Veritas founder's home over Ashley Biden diary investigationUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenUnknown
July 19, 2021Justice Department bars seizing reporters' phone and email recordsUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenReversed (April 25, 2025)
October 17, 2014United States pursues New York Times reporter James Risen's testimony for years before dropping its demand for his sourceUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaReversed (October 17, 2014)
October 10, 2013United States: Espionage Act prosecutions of sources for leaks to the press, 2009 to 2013United StatesSecrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUnknown
May 20, 2013United States search warrant names Fox News reporter James Rosen a possible co-conspirator in a leak caseUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (July 12, 2013)
May 13, 2013United States Justice Department secretly seizes two months of Associated Press phone recordsUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (July 12, 2013)
July 6, 2005New York Times reporter Judith Miller jailed for refusing to name a confidential source in the Valerie Plame affairUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasGeorge W. BushUpheld by a court (September 29, 2005)
September 9, 1971United States: Nixon White House "enemies list" naming journalists, September 1971United StatesSurveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUnknown
August 16, 1971Nixon White House compiles an enemies list naming journalists for official pressureUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonReversed (June 27, 1973)
1969United States Supreme Court rules reporters have no privilege to refuse grand jury subpoenasUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUpheld by a court (June 29, 1972)
November 1955United States Senate panel subpoenas dozens of New York Times journalists over Communist tiesUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasDwight D. EisenhowerSustained (December 1, 1956)
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