Stephanie Sugars
@stephaniesugars.bsky.social
Senior reporter @pressfreedomtracker.us, photog, green chile fiend, avid reader, maker of sweaters. Signal: ssugars.01 | stephanie@freedom.press
Pinned
Journalists are often encouraged not to make themselves the story when their rights are infringed. But staying silent about press freedom violations allows aggressors to act with impunity.
If you're a journalist who has experienced an arrest, assault or other aggression, @pressfreedomtracker.us can document your experience anonymously. Contact me through Signal at ssugars.01.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
If you are a journalist — or know one — who has been attacked, seriously threatened, denied access by a public official or targeted with a legal order in the course of reporting, let us know. You can now submit tips in English or Spanish.
Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us
Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us
September 25, 2025 at 8:05 PM
If you are a journalist — or know one — who has been attacked, seriously threatened, denied access by a public official or targeted with a legal order in the course of reporting, let us know. You can now submit tips in English or Spanish.
Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us
Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Trump's anti-press rhetoric is "not bluster; it is not a personality trait. It is deliberate," @stephaniesugars.bsky.social told @di-sly.bsky.social.
"It is very much at the cost of the strength of our social fabric and our shared reality."
"It is very much at the cost of the strength of our social fabric and our shared reality."
Inside Trump’s decade-long war on the press: 75,000 posts, 3,500 direct attacks - Editor and Publisher
Over the past decade, Donald Trump has waged a relentless campaign against the press — not just in rallies or interviews, but in the 75,000 social media posts he’s fired off since 2015. More than 3,50...
www.editorandpublisher.com
September 4, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Trump's anti-press rhetoric is "not bluster; it is not a personality trait. It is deliberate," @stephaniesugars.bsky.social told @di-sly.bsky.social.
"It is very much at the cost of the strength of our social fabric and our shared reality."
"It is very much at the cost of the strength of our social fabric and our shared reality."
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
The LAPD lived up to its atrocious press freedom record by beating, detaining, and jailing journalists covering a protest last week.
Journalists must cover these First Amendment violations, and the public must speak out against them.
Journalists must cover these First Amendment violations, and the public must speak out against them.
The LAPD attacked reporters, despite a court order. Then it lied about it
Reporting on the force’s press freedom violations requires more than uncritically repeating the LAPD’s statements
freedom.press
August 13, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The LAPD lived up to its atrocious press freedom record by beating, detaining, and jailing journalists covering a protest last week.
Journalists must cover these First Amendment violations, and the public must speak out against them.
Journalists must cover these First Amendment violations, and the public must speak out against them.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
If you're a journalist who has experienced an arrest, assault or other aggression, @pressfreedomtracker.us can document your experience anonymously. Contact me through Signal at ssugars.01.
Journalists are often encouraged not to make themselves the story when their rights are infringed. But staying silent about press freedom violations allows aggressors to act with impunity.
July 22, 2025 at 8:02 PM
If you're a journalist who has experienced an arrest, assault or other aggression, @pressfreedomtracker.us can document your experience anonymously. Contact me through Signal at ssugars.01.
If you're a journalist who has experienced an arrest, assault or other aggression, @pressfreedomtracker.us can document your experience anonymously. Contact me through Signal at ssugars.01.
Journalists are often encouraged not to make themselves the story when their rights are infringed. But staying silent about press freedom violations allows aggressors to act with impunity.
July 22, 2025 at 8:02 PM
If you're a journalist who has experienced an arrest, assault or other aggression, @pressfreedomtracker.us can document your experience anonymously. Contact me through Signal at ssugars.01.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Thanks to everyone who tuned into our conversation about the demise of one of America’s oldest Indigenous newspapers, and a special thanks to our panelists: @isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
Miss it? Watch it below ⬇️
Miss it? Watch it below ⬇️
The Demise of Indian Time
YouTube video by Freedom of the Press Foundation
www.youtube.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Thanks to everyone who tuned into our conversation about the demise of one of America’s oldest Indigenous newspapers, and a special thanks to our panelists: @isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
Miss it? Watch it below ⬇️
Miss it? Watch it below ⬇️
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
🔔 Join us tomorrow for a conversation about the demise of one of America’s oldest Indigenous newspapers, featuring
@isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
🕒 Noon EDT/9 a.m. PDT
RSVP: freedom.press/end-of-india...
@isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
🕒 Noon EDT/9 a.m. PDT
RSVP: freedom.press/end-of-india...
July 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM
🔔 Join us tomorrow for a conversation about the demise of one of America’s oldest Indigenous newspapers, featuring
@isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
🕒 Noon EDT/9 a.m. PDT
RSVP: freedom.press/end-of-india...
@isaacwhitereporter.bsky.social, Marjorie Skidders, @seth-stern.bsky.social, and @stephaniesugars.bsky.social.
🕒 Noon EDT/9 a.m. PDT
RSVP: freedom.press/end-of-india...
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
While journalists face threats covering national protests spurred by Trump’s immigration policy, the president has persisted in online attacks on the media.
This and more in our Tracker newsletter from Managing Editor @kamccudden.bsky.social and Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social:
This and more in our Tracker newsletter from Managing Editor @kamccudden.bsky.social and Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social:
Journalists are facing attacks, both digital and physical
As dozens of journalists faced assault and arrest on the streets of LA and beyond, President Trump’s unrelenting anti-press rhetoric online reached a 10-year milestone.
pressfreedomtracker.us
June 30, 2025 at 9:40 PM
While journalists face threats covering national protests spurred by Trump’s immigration policy, the president has persisted in online attacks on the media.
This and more in our Tracker newsletter from Managing Editor @kamccudden.bsky.social and Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social:
This and more in our Tracker newsletter from Managing Editor @kamccudden.bsky.social and Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social:
Today marks 10 years since Trump's escalator descent, and the start of my dataset of his anti-press social posts. The collection of 3,500 entries and growing provides a stark reminder that the rhetoric our leaders use matters and that it's vital to keep watch.
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
🧵 Since 2015, Donald Trump has posted nearly 3,500 times on social media to attack, belittle, and discredit journalists, news outlets and the industry.
To better understand the impact of his anti-press rhetoric, we’ve cataloged his posts.
To better understand the impact of his anti-press rhetoric, we’ve cataloged his posts.
On social media, Trump targets the press on average once a day — for 10 years and counting
Behind a decade of attacks on the media lies Trump’s strategy of control.
pressfreedomtracker.us
June 16, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Today marks 10 years since Trump's escalator descent, and the start of my dataset of his anti-press social posts. The collection of 3,500 entries and growing provides a stark reminder that the rhetoric our leaders use matters and that it's vital to keep watch.
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
1/ Now a week into California protests in response to immigration raids, here’s what we’re working on documenting at the Tracker — At least 50 incidents of violence or other types of aggressions against journalists, mostly by law enforcement, and some targeting of news cars, mostly by individuals:
June 13, 2025 at 1:50 PM
1/ Now a week into California protests in response to immigration raids, here’s what we’re working on documenting at the Tracker — At least 50 incidents of violence or other types of aggressions against journalists, mostly by law enforcement, and some targeting of news cars, mostly by individuals:
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Trump "is consolidating narrative power and asserting that he is the ultimate, if not singular, conveyor of what is actually true, which, to no one’s surprise, is what is most favorable to him," @pressfreedomtracker.us's @stephaniesugars.bsky.social tells @liamjscott.bsky.social.
The reporter documenting 10 years of Trump’s anti-media posts
Since Trump’s first term as president, Sugars has managed an extensive database that documents each and every anti-media post from Trump. In them, Trump sometimes attacks individual journalists. Other...
freedom.press
June 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Trump "is consolidating narrative power and asserting that he is the ultimate, if not singular, conveyor of what is actually true, which, to no one’s surprise, is what is most favorable to him," @pressfreedomtracker.us's @stephaniesugars.bsky.social tells @liamjscott.bsky.social.
Monday marks 10 years since Trump's escalator descent, and the start of my dataset of his anti-press social posts. Nearly 3,500 entries and growing, it provides not just a historical archive but also an urgent warning: The rhetoric our leaders use matters.
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
On social media, Trump targets the press on average once a day — for 10 years and counting
Behind a decade of attacks on the media lies Trump’s strategy of control.
pressfreedomtracker.us
June 12, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Monday marks 10 years since Trump's escalator descent, and the start of my dataset of his anti-press social posts. Nearly 3,500 entries and growing, it provides not just a historical archive but also an urgent warning: The rhetoric our leaders use matters.
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
My latest for @pressfreedomtracker.us:
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Southlander cofounder and journalist @bencamach0.bsky.social was shot twice — in the knee and elbow — with crowd-control munitions while covering protests in the LA suburbs of Compton and Paramount June 7: pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incident...
June 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Southlander cofounder and journalist @bencamach0.bsky.social was shot twice — in the knee and elbow — with crowd-control munitions while covering protests in the LA suburbs of Compton and Paramount June 7: pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incident...
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Hey, journalists covering LA protests —
In light of multiple attacks against reporters, find here in this thread resources to help you prepare yourself for covering protests, protecting yourself in the field, and getting the help you need.
Share and bookmark.
In light of multiple attacks against reporters, find here in this thread resources to help you prepare yourself for covering protests, protecting yourself in the field, and getting the help you need.
Share and bookmark.
June 9, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Hey, journalists covering LA protests —
In light of multiple attacks against reporters, find here in this thread resources to help you prepare yourself for covering protests, protecting yourself in the field, and getting the help you need.
Share and bookmark.
In light of multiple attacks against reporters, find here in this thread resources to help you prepare yourself for covering protests, protecting yourself in the field, and getting the help you need.
Share and bookmark.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
UPDATE: Nick is in good spirits and recovering in hospital. The doctor told me the injury was so bad that they treated it as if it were a gunshot wound. Part of a stun grenade traveled deep into the tissue and was only visible by a cat scan. He sends his love and appreciation for all the support.
June 9, 2025 at 10:38 PM
UPDATE: Nick is in good spirits and recovering in hospital. The doctor told me the injury was so bad that they treated it as if it were a gunshot wound. Part of a stun grenade traveled deep into the tissue and was only visible by a cat scan. He sends his love and appreciation for all the support.
Just 100 days into Trump’s second term, he and his allies have launched a multipronged campaign against journalists, media organizations and their sources, pushing a narrative that questions the legitimacy of critical reporting and seeks to suppress dissenting voices.
Read my latest:
Read my latest:
In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, his appointees and allies in Congress have joined his campaign against the press, and are endeavoring to defund, defang and silence independent and critical reporting:
Trump, allies pursue multipronged campaign against the press
President Donald Trump, in one of the first executive orders of his new term, extolled the importance of “restoring freedom …
pressfreedomtracker.us
April 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Just 100 days into Trump’s second term, he and his allies have launched a multipronged campaign against journalists, media organizations and their sources, pushing a narrative that questions the legitimacy of critical reporting and seeks to suppress dissenting voices.
Read my latest:
Read my latest:
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Trump’s shunning of newsrooms is part of a playbook designed to test the limits of the First Amendment.
We spoke to former White House correspondent @briankarem.bsky.social and U.S. Press Tracker Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social to learn more.
We spoke to former White House correspondent @briankarem.bsky.social and U.S. Press Tracker Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social to learn more.
Trump is restricting White House press access. It’s not the first time
In cherry-picking who can cover him, Trump is limiting White House access to only those willing to stoop to his demands
freedom.press
April 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Trump’s shunning of newsrooms is part of a playbook designed to test the limits of the First Amendment.
We spoke to former White House correspondent @briankarem.bsky.social and U.S. Press Tracker Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social to learn more.
We spoke to former White House correspondent @briankarem.bsky.social and U.S. Press Tracker Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social to learn more.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Join us for an urgent discussion on the AP ban, White House press pool, and other attacks on the press by the Trump administration, featuring @briankarem.bsky.social, @stephaniesugars.bsky.social, and @caitlinvogus.bsky.social.
🗓️ April 16, 2pm ET/11am PT
freedom.press/access-denied
🗓️ April 16, 2pm ET/11am PT
freedom.press/access-denied
April 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Join us for an urgent discussion on the AP ban, White House press pool, and other attacks on the press by the Trump administration, featuring @briankarem.bsky.social, @stephaniesugars.bsky.social, and @caitlinvogus.bsky.social.
🗓️ April 16, 2pm ET/11am PT
freedom.press/access-denied
🗓️ April 16, 2pm ET/11am PT
freedom.press/access-denied
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Make sure you’re inviting the right person to your Signal group!
To help confirm someone’s identity and keep track of your contacts, @signal.org offers nicknames and information about the groups you share in common with your contacts.
Learn about Signal’s identifiers:
To help confirm someone’s identity and keep track of your contacts, @signal.org offers nicknames and information about the groups you share in common with your contacts.
Learn about Signal’s identifiers:
Understanding every one of Signal’s identifiers
We’ve heard some questions about the difference between Signal usernames, phone numbers, profile names, profiles, and nicknames. Let’s talk about it.
freedom.press
March 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Make sure you’re inviting the right person to your Signal group!
To help confirm someone’s identity and keep track of your contacts, @signal.org offers nicknames and information about the groups you share in common with your contacts.
Learn about Signal’s identifiers:
To help confirm someone’s identity and keep track of your contacts, @signal.org offers nicknames and information about the groups you share in common with your contacts.
Learn about Signal’s identifiers:
"On Saturday... VOA’s final broadcast went out; its website was updated one last time. For the first time since its creation, in 1942, to combat Nazi propaganda, VOA went silent." - insights from @liamjscott.bsky.social
The Last Days at Voice of America
Covering the press freedom beat at VOA, I got a front-row seat to its demise.
www.cjr.org
March 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
"On Saturday... VOA’s final broadcast went out; its website was updated one last time. For the first time since its creation, in 1942, to combat Nazi propaganda, VOA went silent." - insights from @liamjscott.bsky.social
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Wow: City of Clarksdale, Mississippi got a court order yesterday directing a newspaper to delete an editorial criticizing city officials -- without a hearing. Here's the TRO issuing the prior restraint:
February 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Wow: City of Clarksdale, Mississippi got a court order yesterday directing a newspaper to delete an editorial criticizing city officials -- without a hearing. Here's the TRO issuing the prior restraint:
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Effective and creative data visualization in the form of a full page piece in the WaPo today to show how Trump/Musk are dismantling government.
February 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Effective and creative data visualization in the form of a full page piece in the WaPo today to show how Trump/Musk are dismantling government.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Check out this First Amendment Watch interview with @pressfreedomtracker.us' Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social about the Tracker's annual arrest report and threats journalists faced in 2024.
U.S. Press Freedom Tracker’s Stephanie Sugars on Protests, Police and the Press - First Amendment Watch
Sugars discussed the considerations that are made in including detainments or arrests and the often tumultuous relationship between police and the press.
firstamendmentwatch.org
January 8, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Check out this First Amendment Watch interview with @pressfreedomtracker.us' Senior Reporter @stephaniesugars.bsky.social about the Tracker's annual arrest report and threats journalists faced in 2024.
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Just going to reiterate -
We are on this bot problem. We shall fight them on the beaches. We shall fight them in the signup process, we shall fight them in the notifications
We are on this bot problem. We shall fight them on the beaches. We shall fight them in the signup process, we shall fight them in the notifications
January 6, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Just going to reiterate -
We are on this bot problem. We shall fight them on the beaches. We shall fight them in the signup process, we shall fight them in the notifications
We are on this bot problem. We shall fight them on the beaches. We shall fight them in the signup process, we shall fight them in the notifications
Reposted by Stephanie Sugars
Four years on from the insurrection at the Capitol, and we've never stopped tracking justice for the 18 journalists assaulted in DC on Jan. 6, 2021. It's all kept here by @uspresstracker.bsky.social :
pressfreedomtracker.us/blog/charges...
pressfreedomtracker.us/blog/charges...
Charges — and punishments — for J6 rioters who hurt journalists, damaged news equipment
While documenting the large mob in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, photographer John Minchillo was grabbed …
pressfreedomtracker.us
January 6, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Four years on from the insurrection at the Capitol, and we've never stopped tracking justice for the 18 journalists assaulted in DC on Jan. 6, 2021. It's all kept here by @uspresstracker.bsky.social :
pressfreedomtracker.us/blog/charges...
pressfreedomtracker.us/blog/charges...