A War on the Press is Coming. Will You Stand with Inkstick?
There has never been a more important moment to support relentlessly critical reporting.
Donald Trump has made little secret of his desire for the United States: He wants a country free of criticism, pushback, and truth-telling. Why else would the president, upon entering office, issue a slate of executive orders that seek to restrict public scrutiny, protests, and the freedom of the press?
That last part means a lot to us at Inkstick. We’re a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to exposing the injustices of the military industrial complex, wars anywhere on the planet, and creeping authoritarianism. In the last year alone, we’ve relentlessly covered Israel’s wars on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, defense industry titans’ push to limit access to records that are in the American public’s interest, border violence from Texas to Greece, the grim impact of artificial intelligence on migration, and the rise of fascistic and aspiring authoritarian movements in North America and Europe.
I’ve been the managing editor of Inkstick Media for a little more than a year and a half, but my work as a reporter, editor, and correspondent goes back 15 years. I’ve reported on war, displacement, and authoritarianism in some 20 countries across the globe. I’ve also written three books on far-right extremism, migration, and borders. Believe me when I tell you that there has never been a more important moment to support dogged and fearless nonprofit media.
The Trump administration has already targeted crucial outlets like the Associated Press. In fact, there has been a recent wave of speculation that Trump and his officials will soon start targeting nonprofit newsrooms like Inkstick’s. The Trump administration recently asked the Internal Revenue Service to go after Harvard’s tax-exempt status, and recent reporting suggests his team will soon turn its sights on nonprofits that work to fight climate change. We have no doubt that nonprofit newsrooms that investigate US involvement in war and humanitarian crises — Inkstick included — will soon be in the crosshairs.
That would be a huge loss for everyone. Inkstick works to advance the public knowledge of the world, including the mechanisms of Washington, and we aim to continue doing this work. Still, that doesn’t mean we don’t need your support.
Here’s how you can help us continue publishing the important reportage and analysis we’re committed to putting out into the world. First, you can donate to Inkstick. Second, you can subscribe to our Substack, or if you already have, upgrade to a paid subscription. Third, you can share our work widely and help our reporting reach more people.
At Inkstick, we feel strongly about our mandate to report on life under endless war and conflict, human rights abusers, and authoritarians. Will you stand with us as we gear up for the fight of (all of) our lives?
Patrick Strickland
Inkstick Media, managing editor