Andrew Ferguson targets news media as FTC chair

Aug. 15, 2025 | Media Matters granted preliminary injunction against FTC

May 21, 2025 | FTC chair announces investigation into Media Matters for America

Aug. 15, 2025 | Media Matters granted preliminary injunction against FTC

Media Matters for America was granted a preliminary injunction on Aug. 15, 2025, protecting the nonprofit from being forced to hand over a trove of newsgathering and editorial materials to the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC, under Chair Andrew Ferguson, opened an investigation in May into Media Matters over its alleged collusion with companies that paused their advertising on the social platform X after the media watchdog reported that ads for major brands were appearing next to pro-Nazi posts.

The agency ordered the nonprofit to turn over scores of internal records, including communications, budget documents and any evidence of coordination with other advocacy groups, Status reported.

In a statement to Status, a spokesperson for Media Matters described the FTC probe as a political hit job, and the nonprofit filed a lawsuit June 23 to halt the order.

“Media Matters faces an ongoing campaign of retribution for exercising its First Amendment rights,” attorneys for the nonprofit wrote. “Now the Federal Trade Commission seeks to punish Media Matters for its journalism and speech in exposing matters of substantial public concern—including how X.com has enabled and profited from extremist content that proliferated after Elon Musk took over the platform formerly known as Twitter.”

In late 2023 and early 2024, Republican attorneys general in Texas and Missouri issued civil investigative demands — a form of subpoena — to the nonprofit for documents related to its reporting. Media Matters ultimately won preliminary injunctions blocking the requests.

District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled in favor of Media Matters on Aug. 15, writing that the case “presents a straightforward First Amendment violation.”

“It should alarm all Americans when the Government retaliates against individuals or organizations for engaging in constitutionally protected public debate,” she continued. “And that alarm should ring even louder when the Government retaliates against those engaged in newsgathering and reporting.”

Sooknanan issued an order barring the FTC from implementing or enforcing the request for the nonprofit’s files and communications.

Angelo Carusone, chairman and president of Media Matters, praised the decision in a statement, citing the importance of standing up to what he described as “intimidation from the Trump administration.”

“This case is not just about the campaign to punish and silence Media Matters,” Carusone wrote. “It is a critical test for whether the courts will allow any administration - from any political party - to bully media and non-profit organizations through illegal abuses of power. We will continue to stand up and fight for the First Amendment rights that protect every American.”

Attorneys for the agency appealed the ruling Aug. 18 and it will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

May 21, 2025 | FTC chair announces investigation into Media Matters for America

Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson opened an investigation on May 21, 2025, into Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Media Matters for America concerning its alleged illegal collusion with advertisers, The New York Times reported.

In November 2023, the media watchdog published a report written by its investigative reporter Eric Hananoki that found advertisements for major brands appeared next to pro-Nazi posts on the social platform X. Several major companies subsequently paused their advertising on the platform.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, promptly sued Media Matters and Hananoki in federal court, alleging they had manipulated the platform’s algorithms to harm X’s relationship with advertisers. The suit is ongoing, and in 2025, Musk became a senior adviser to Trump and the de facto head of the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency.

In late 2023 and early 2024, Republican attorneys general in Texas and Missouri issued civil investigative demands — a form of subpoena — to the nonprofit for documents related to its reporting. Media Matters ultimately won preliminary injunctions blocking the requests.

According to Status, Musk’s targeting of the outlet has contributed to budgetary strain that forced Media Matters to lay off employees and scale back its work in 2024.

The FTC investigation marks an escalation in the targeting of the nonprofit, and the agency has ordered Media Matters to turn over scores of internal records, including communications, budget documents and any evidence of coordination with other advocacy groups, Status reported.

Ferguson has previously detailed his concern over “colluding” in advertising, the Times reported, in which coordinated advertising boycotts could threaten the “free exchange of ideas.”

In a statement to Status, a spokesperson for Media Matters described the FTC probe as a political hit job.

“The Trump administration has been defined by naming right-wing media figures to key posts and abusing the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics,” the representative said. “It’s clear that’s exactly what’s happening here, given Media Matters’ history of holding those same media figures to account. These threats won’t work; we remain steadfast to our mission.”