Independent Journalism is in the Crosshairs: Will You Have Inkstick's Back?
We can't do this work without you.
US President Donald Trump’s second administration has come in with an axe, hacking away at public funds that support livelihoods, healthcare, education, climate resiliency, pandemic preparedness, and so much more. The administration’s abrupt suspension of those funds and mass firings of federal employees have been widely decried as illegal and imperiling the democratic process. Meanwhile, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operations have taken place largely behind closed doors, without meaningful oversight.
At the same time, the administration has pulled thousands of pages of records from government sites and has begun restricting access to the White House press pool in a visible crackdown on the free press. Dissent and free speech are under direct attack.
Independent journalism has never been more important, or more imperiled.
As we look down the barrel of a presidential term that promises a full-on attack on independent journalism, the free press, and the nonprofit status of organizations like ours, we must build additional support to confront the current moment and withstand this changing landscape.
In a moment that can feel overwhelming, directly supporting us is a tangible thing you can do to defend the independent press that holds power to account.
The major issues that the US faces today are our wheelhouse at Inkstick. We cover the rise of the far right from the US to Germany to Greece. We publish investigations into the rise of tech and AI in Europe and cover the militarization of the border in the US. We track how states are implementing the Trump administration’s xenophobic immigration agenda.
And our in-house corps of field reporters for the military-industrial complex — already reporting on arms industry hubs from Georgia, Connecticut, and Missouri — is uniquely poised to cover the companies profiting from democratic decline.
At Inkstick, we will continue to publish the kind of journalism that neither shirks in the face of power nor disregards the humans who deserve to be at the center of their own stories. Nor will we cover the US as if it is cordoned off from the rest of the world. Our editorial goal is simple: human-centered journalism on global security, on-the-ground reportage, and analysis that raises a dissenting hand when standing across from those in power.
This moment of crisis for US democracy demands strong investigative journalism to hold the powerful and the profiteers to account. Inkstick is one of few players on this beat, and, during this assault on global citizens, American taxpayers, and the US Constitution, our role is more important than ever.
Here’s how you can help Inkstick keep up the fight to tell the stories others either can’t or won’t: You can donate, become a paid subscriber to our Substack, and share our reportage widely on social media. Will you support us? Every little bit will help us put out the investigative journalism, in-depth reporting, and deep analysis to which we are committed. We can’t do it without you.
Inkstick relies on donations and fundraisers like this one to exist. We appreciate your patience with extra emails during these times. Thanks for being a part of Inkstick’s community.