Trump administration sets sights on Wikipedia for spreading 'propaganda'

US Justice Department accuses Wikimedia Foundation of allowing foreign influence on Wikipedia, threatening its nonprofit status as part of a broader campaign against independent information sources

Israel Wullman|
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After sweeping layoffs across U.S. government offices and major cuts to health care, welfare and education, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is now targeting Wikipedia, threatening its nonprofit status.
The Trump administration claimed the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, is allegedly controlled by “foreign actors” and allows them “to manipulate information and spread propaganda to the American public.”
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(Photo: Shutterstock)
Last week, Wikimedia received a letter from Ed Martin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and a Trump appointee, accusing the foundation of failing to meet the requirements for its tax-exempt status.
Martin, a longtime Republican political operative, claimed Wikipedia allows foreign manipulation of information, rewriting of major historical events and biographical data of American leaders and other actions “subverting the interests of American taxpayers.” He argued that such “masked propaganda” is incompatible with Wikimedia’s educational mission.
Martin further asserted that, because Wikimedia’s board is “composed primarily of foreign nationals,” it undermines American taxpayers' interests. He alleged the foundation is engaged in “a series of activities” that could constitute violations of U.S. nonprofit law.
The letter, which demands answers and documents relating to Wikipedia’s editorial process and its efforts to prevent foreign influence, requires a response by May 15.
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נשיא ארה"ב דונלד טראמפ מסיבת עיתונאים עם ראש ממשלת נורבגיה
נשיא ארה"ב דונלד טראמפ מסיבת עיתונאים עם ראש ממשלת נורבגיה
US President Donald Trump
(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration and its allies against institutions, media outlets and online platforms accused of promoting liberal agendas. The letter, first reported by The Free Press, follows increasing conservative criticism of Wikipedia, whose content is created and edited by thousands of global volunteers.
A June 2024 report by the conservative Manhattan Institute found “suggestive evidence” of a “slight to moderate” left-leaning bias in Wikipedia’s portrayal of American public figures. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has also accused Wikipedia of widespread antisemitic and anti-Israel bias, particularly after the encyclopedia downgraded its credibility rating on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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A source close to Martin told the outlet that the online platform has “edits on Wikipedia as they relate to the Israel-Hamas conflict that are clearly targeted against Israel to benefit other countries.”
Separately, Wikimedia issued a statement Friday stressing that Wikipedia hosts more than 65 million articles created “to inform, not persuade.” The foundation said its content is governed by policies ensuring it is as accurate, fair and neutral as possible, with nearly 260,000 volunteers participating in the editorial process. “Our vision is a world where every person can freely share in the sum of all knowledge,” it said.
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ויקיפדיה ערכים אנטי ישראלים
ויקיפדיה ערכים אנטי ישראלים
Anti-Israel articles on Wikipedia
(Photo: Screengrab)
Molly White, a Wikipedia editor and American tech critic, said Friday that Martin’s letter appears to be part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and its allies to “weaponize the law” against high-quality independent information sources.
Martin has a history of sending similar threats. In recent weeks, he has also sent letters to several major scientific journals, accusing them of political bias and excluding “competing viewpoints” from publication.
Martin is the same official who threatened legal action against publications critical of employees in the " Department of Government Efficiency," led by Elon Musk. Musk, the owner of X and Tesla, is a frequent critic of Wikipedia, calling it “Wokepedia” — a play on the American slang “woke” — and accusing it of being an “extension of legacy media propaganda.”
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