Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Trump is threatening a $5 billion lawsuit over a report challenging his National Guard crime claims while Pentagon leadership is firing journalists who resisted censorship and reported concerns from military families. Stars and Stripes has lost senior leadership, critics inside the administration are disappearing, and officials willing to challenge Trump’s version of reality increasingly find themselves threatened, removed, or publicly attacked. Censorship in 2026 does not always look like a banned book. Sometimes it looks like a legal bill, a termination notice, and a government official demanding everyone fall in line. Ring of Fire's Josh G. explains.
New York Times - Trump threatens suit over liberal think tank report - nytimes.com/2026/08/21/us/politics/trump-lawsuit-liberal-think-tank.html
The Hill - Trump threatens CAP over National Guard report - thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6043735-trump-center-american-progress-national-guard-defamation
Seattle Times - Trump threatens suit, aiming to intimidate a critic - seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-threatens-suit-over-report-he-doesnt-like-aiming-to-intimidate-a-critic
Mediaite - $5 billion defamation threat - mediaite.com/politics/trump/trump-threatens-5-billion-defamation-suit-over-report-saying-national-guard-didnt-reduce-crime
Philadelphia Inquirer - Trump threat lawsuit think tank - inquirer.com/news/nation-world/trump-threat-lawsuit-think-tank-center-american-progress-report-national-guard-crime-20260821.html
CAP statement - Neera Tanden: Baseless threats won't stop our research - americanprogress.org/press/statement-baseless-threats-wont-stop-our-independent-research-says-caps-neera-tanden
CAP report - $1.7 Billion National Guard deployments fail to reduce urban crime - americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administrations-1-7-billion-national-guard-deployments-fail-to-reduce-urban-crime
CBS News - Stars and Stripes publisher, editor get separation notices - cbsnews.com/news/stars-and-stripes-publisher-editor-separation-notices-pentagon
Washington Post - Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes leaders - washingtonpost.com/business/2026/08/21/pentagon-fires-stars-stripes-leaders-who-criticized-dods-interference
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Trump is threatening a $5 billion lawsuit over a report challenging his National Guard crime claims while Pentagon leadership is firing journalists who resisted censorship and reported concerns from military families. Stars and Stripes has lost senior leadership, critics inside the administration are disappearing, and officials willing to challenge Trump’s version of reality increasingly find themselves threatened, removed, or publicly attacked. Censorship in 2026 does not always look like a banned book. Sometimes it looks like a legal bill, a termination notice, and a government official demanding everyone fall in line. Ring of Fire's Josh G. explains.
New York Times - Trump threatens suit over liberal think tank report - nytimes.com/2026/08/21/us/politics/trump-lawsuit-liberal-think-tank.html
The Hill - Trump threatens CAP over National Guard report - thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6043735-trump-center-american-progress-national-guard-defamation
Seattle Times - Trump threatens suit, aiming to intimidate a critic - seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-threatens-suit-over-report-he-doesnt-like-aiming-to-intimidate-a-critic
Mediaite - $5 billion defamation threat - mediaite.com/politics/trump/trump-threatens-5-billion-defamation-suit-over-report-saying-national-guard-didnt-reduce-crime
Philadelphia Inquirer - Trump threat lawsuit think tank - inquirer.com/news/nation-world/trump-threat-lawsuit-think-tank-center-american-progress-report-national-guard-crime-20260821.html
CAP statement - Neera Tanden: Baseless threats won't stop our research - americanprogress.org/press/statement-baseless-threats-wont-stop-our-independent-research-says-caps-neera-tanden
CAP report - $1.7 Billion National Guard deployments fail to reduce urban crime - americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administrations-1-7-billion-national-guard-deployments-fail-to-reduce-urban-crime
CBS News - Stars and Stripes publisher, editor get separation notices - cbsnews.com/news/stars-and-stripes-publisher-editor-separation-notices-pentagon
Washington Post - Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes leaders - washingtonpost.com/business/2026/08/21/pentagon-fires-stars-stripes-leaders-who-criticized-dods-interference
Subscribe to stay connected to our stories: youtube.com/theringoffire
Support us by becoming a member on YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCYWIEbibRcZav6xMLo9qWWw/join
Find us on social media!
Facebook: facebook.com/RingofFireRadio
Twitter: twitter.com/RingofFireMedia
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