A federal judge has agreed to permanently block the Trump administration from implementing a presidential directive to end federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s executive order to cease funding for NPR and PBS is unlawful and unenforceable. The judge says the First Amendment right to free speech “does not tolerate viewpoint discrimination and retaliation of this type.” Last year, Trump said at a news conference he would “love to” defund NPR and PBS because he believes they’re biased in favor of Democrats. NPR claims the Republican president wants to punish it for the content of its journalism.

A company that evaluates news outlets and websites to see which produce reliable journalism says it's under attack by the Trump administration. NewsGuard has sued the Federal Trade Commission over an agency investigation that the company says is threatening its livelihood. NewsGuard's ratings system is used to help advertisers and artificial intelligence companies decide which news sites they can trust with their business. Conservative groups and the television network Newsmax says the ratings system is trying to censor conservative thought. The FTC says its investigation of NewsGuard is part of a broader effort to see whether advertiser boycotts violate antitrust laws.

There appears to be some tension as President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answer questions from White House reporters about Japan’s support for the Iran war. As Trump took questions during a brief public appearance together Thursday, Taikaichi checked her watch. When Trump was asked why the U.S. didn’t notify allies before striking Iran, the Republican president invoked Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, saying he wanted surprise and “Who knows better about surprise than Japan?” Takaichi’s slight smile appeared to drop, and she raised her eyebrows. However Trump and Takaichi otherwise had warm words for each other during their White House meeting, including him calling her a “popular powerful woman.”

President Donald Trump and his team are increasing the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. The Republican president has complained on social media about stories he doesn't like and berated a reporter on Air Force One over the weekend. The government's top media regulator warned broadcasters risk losing their licenses to operate if they don't stay away from “fake news.” Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have questioned the patriotism of some news outlets because of their reports. Antagonism between presidential administrations and the press isn't unusual, but Trump's team has shown a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned.