Free speech fight shifts

President Trump's $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times — his fifth complaint against a major news company in the past two years — represents a notable shift in conservatives' approach to free speech issues. Why it matters: For years, conservatives targeted Big Tech firms for alleged censorship, while criticizing newsrooms but mostly avoiding legal action against them. Now that President Trump has Silicon Valley titans singing his praises, he and other Republicans are shifting their free-speech fight to individuals and news companies. The latter's editorial standards give them less flexibility than social media platforms to carry out ad hoc policy changes.Case in point: In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, conservative media activists and Trump officials are going after individuals and journalists, compiling lists of people to target based on their social media posts. Driving the news: President Trump on Monday filed a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times and four of its reporters, claiming the paper is a "full-throated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party."The $15 billion figure is greater than the value of the Times on the public market and could cripple the company, but legal experts say the suit doesn't have merit."The complaint is frivolous on its face, seeking to transform protected First Amendment speech — including investigative reporting about Trump's business practices, family wealth and celebrity status — into actionable defamation claims," said Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.Reality check: The Times — with more legal resources than most newsrooms — could fight the allegation aggressively in court, or it could settle the complaint, just as CBS and ABC News have done in the last year. "Trump's new lawsuit appears designed not to vindicate any genuine reputational harm, but to impose crushing legal costs on media organizations and create a chilling effect that will deter future critical coverage of Trump's conduct and business dealings," Fallow added. Between the lines: While most major news companies have publicly defended themselves and their journalists in the wake of legal attacks, some outlets are taking precautions, possibly out of fear of being targeted by conservatives.Prominent Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said she was fired Monday over social media posts about race and gun control following Kirk's killing. An NBA reporter was also fired for his social media commentary in the wake of Kirk's death. Newsrooms also have to weigh safety concerns as their staff report in a hyper partisan environment, which could contribute to more reticent responses to major news stories. Two men in Utah last week were arrested for leaving an incendiary device underneath a FOX 13 News vehicle.A former Las Vegas county politician was sentenced to serve at least 28 years in Nevada state prison last year for the murder of a local journalist who had written critically about him.The big picture: While the Trump administration has a few political levers to target media companies, pressure campaigns and lawsuits can be easier and just as punitive.The president is currently in ongoing legal battles with the Wall Street Journal and the Des Moines Register. The administration has also been in litigation with the Associated Press over blocking its reporters from Oval Office and Air Force One events. The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission have used investigations into DEI and political policies to threaten regulatory approvals of mergers and deals. What to watch: A spokesperson for the Times said the company "will not be deterred by intimidation tactics" and will "continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists' First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people."

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