The call is coming from within the house: Trump was the main source and distributor of disinformation in ethnic and Indigenous press in the US, according to a new study published today by the International Center for Journalists; City St George’s, University of London; the University of Maryland; and Arizona State University.
The report, titled ‘Disarming Disinformation: US’ , determined disinformation was predominantly spread by domestic political forces rather than foreign states during the 2024 presidential election, based on analysis of thousands of articles and social media posts, alongside dozens of in-depth interviews.
The research connects the prevalence of political disinformation with the normalisation of violence against journalists amid unprecedented attacks on the US press, and a decline in trust in the news.
Key findings
Study methods
The interdisciplinary study was carried out through:
The study was led by Professor Julie Posetti (City St George's), Professor Sarah Oates (Maryland) and Professor K. Hazel Kwon (ASU). It was peer reviewed by Dr Lea Hellmueller.
ENDS
Content analysis
People
Disarming Disinformation: United States
1-Oct-2025
Funding for research underpinning this case study was received from Scripps Howard Foundation and the Gates Foundation. However, the research represents the independent work and expertise of the researchers, and the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. It does not represent the policy or views of the organisations providing funding.