U.S. Culture War: Trump Circle Targets Wikipedia
Talking Wikipedia on German Public Radio (Deutchlandfunk)
I had the pleasure of briefly appearing on German Public Radio (ARD) for the Morning Information Show on May 7, 2025. Hearing my voice overdubbed with a German translation was quite an experience, almost as if I were addressing a U.N. committee. Below, you'll find the English language transcript of that segment.
Birgit Eger (ARD journalist): More than 280,000 volunteer contributors write Wikipedia articles every month in more than 30 countries and over 20 languages. The online encyclopedia is the eighth most visited website on the World Wide Web. Its scale makes it appealing—not just to readers, but also to politicians. The idea is that when many editors pool their knowledge, the result should be as neutral and fact-based as possible.
But not everyone likes that. Edward Martin, a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., has now threatened to revoke Wikipedia’s tax-exempt status and accused the encyclopedia’s creators of manipulating information. He’s sent a questionnaire and wants a response by May 15.
Criticism of Wikipedia has existed since the platform was founded in 2001, notes journalist, author, and lawyer Stephen Harrison. But this time, it feels different.
Stephen Harrison: I never thought this would happen in America—that the government would go after Wikipedia. In the eight years I’ve reported on Wikipedia as a journalist, these sorts of examples came only from authoritarian countries like China, Russia, or Saudi Arabia. As an American, I find it truly shocking that this is now happening here.
Birgit Eger: The current criticism from Trump’s legal appointee focuses on Wikipedia’s coverage of the Gaza conflict, which he claims is antisemitic. But other organizations are chiming in too. The conservative, Trump-aligned Heritage Foundation has accused Wikipedia of abusing its power and offers tips on how to unmask the pseudonyms of volunteer contributors.
Last year, Elon Musk also lashed out at Wikipedia, calling for a boycott of donations. That’s a stark contrast to his attitude during Trump’s first term.
Stephen Harrison: In 2017, Elon Musk was praising Wikipedia as a great project. And now, both Musk and Trump have turned against it, using it as a target in their culture war. That’s partly because Wikipedia doesn’t cater to the far-right perspective—or, as we say in the U.S., the conservative MAGA viewpoint.
Birgit Eger: But Wikipedia editors would argue they are maintaining a neutral stance.
When the online encyclopedia was founded, it carried the hope of being a democratic, egalitarian platform. The aim was to share knowledge without commercial interests. Wikipedia’s editorial debates are conducted openly—and sometimes, contributors are actively recruited to bring in new perspectives on a topic.
Now that right-wing politicians, lawyers, and business leaders are putting heavy pressure on Wikipedia, that pressure is also being felt by the editors.
Stephen Harrison: Some Wikipedia editors have expressed concern that the U.S. government is targeting editors—trying to identify and intimidate them in specific ways. That will discourage people from volunteering on Wikipedia.
Birgit Eger: The global umbrella organization for Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation, has stood by its contributors and emphasized that the information on Wikipedia is as neutral and fair as possible. In addition to the content debate, there’s a formal question: Will Wikipedia be able to keep its nonprofit status?
Donations from individuals and companies are its main source of income. It’s unclear whether those donations will continue if they become subject to taxation. As a last resort, the foundation may consider relocating its headquarters—possibly to Germany, Norway, or the UK, according to journalist Stephen Harrison.
But the final decision is still pending. Edward Martin has not yet been confirmed in his post; he still needs to be approved by the Senate. And even among Republicans, there are still doubts. Birgit Eger, reporting from Washington.
The audio for the interview is available here from Deutschlandfunk.