DOJ Orders Employees Not to Post on Social Media Related to Government Work
The Trump administration has taken a bold step in ordering U.S. Justice Department employees not to post anything on social media related to their government work, following a wave of new political appointees taking to cheering Trump and castigating his opponents online.
Restrictions Widen the Net for DOJ Employees
The directive appears to prohibit the types of social media posts that Trump's political appointees routinely make on their official government accounts. The change was made by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has become frustrated by some of the rhetoric being posted by political appointees.
Old Policy vs. New Policy: What's Changed?
While the department has always placed restrictions on social media use by employees, such as prohibiting them from discussing non-public investigations or making politically-charged statements that could damage the department's impartiality, the new policy is much broader.
The Broad Impact of the New Policy
Employees must not use any social media "in a way that damages the efficiency of the department," the policy says. Stacey Young, a former department civil rights attorney who recently left to create a DOJ employee advocacy organization called Justice Connection, said the policy could chill employees' speech.
Trump-Appointed Leaders in the Spotlight
Many of the department's top Trump-appointed leaders have posted messages that would have run afoul of the new policy. Leo Terrell, a senior counsel in the Civil Rights Division who is leading its antisemitism task force, makes near-daily posts on X about his support for Trump.
Free Speech Concerns
Ari Cohn, the tech policy lead counsel with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said while government has some authority to restrict the use of personal social media accounts to conduct official business, the new policy is so broad that it places employees at risk of being targeted for their views as private citizens.
Justice Department Response
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. The department has since moved to drop charges against a suspect accused of having ties to MS-13, following criticism over Attorney General Pam Bondi's claims about the arrest.
The Backlash Against DOJ Employees
Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, warned that the policy could lead to DOJ employees being targeted for their views as private citizens. "The new policy represents another unwarranted attack on DOJ employees – one that stifles their free speech in their private lives and creates new ways for the administration to oust career public servants who don't toe the party line," Young said.
What's Next?
The impact of the new policy remains to be seen. However, experts warn that it could lead to a chilling effect on free speech among DOJ employees and make them more vulnerable to partisan targeting.