Access Denied by Maria Grant

The best way to make sound decisions is to have access to accurate information. Under the current administration, gaining access to accurate information is becoming increasingly difficult. Let’s take a quick review of information that is no longer accessible thanks to Trump’s revised policies. 

The White House has removed official transcripts of President Trump’s public remarks from its government website, replacing them with selected videos of his public appearances.

The Trump administration told federal health agencies such as the CDC to temporarily stop communicating health messages, which included memos, reports, online posts, and website updates. Scientific meetings, including advisory panels, had also been temporarily cancelled. 

The Social Security Administration has stopped reporting current call waiting times and other performance metrics. (Recently, phone lines have been jammed and crashing. One woman reported waiting eight hours and 44 minutes on the phone and then was required to make follow-up calls.)

The Trump administration has refused to provide information sought by Congress regarding several investigations and inquiries. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has the authority to investigate whether an administration has improperly withheld authorized funding in contravention of Congressional Directives. At the heart of the issue is a process known as impoundment which would allow the President to stem the flow of federal dollars even if Congress instructs otherwise. More to come on this issue as final revisions to the ”big beautiful bill” are made public. 

Trump fired 19 agency inspectors general. They play a key role in investigations and audits that uncover fraud and abuse. The American public will no longer have access to that information.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a series of restrictions to the press that include banning reporters from entering huge segments of the Pentagon to which they formerly had access. The media is also barred from the offices of the Pentagon’s senior military leadership unless they have Hegseth’s approval and an escort. 

 Trump plans to limit the classified information that is usually shared with both houses of Congress. 

One of Trump’s executive orders gives Trump greater power over independent regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission which issues recalls and safety warnings; the Securities and Exchange Commission, which oversees markets; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insures bank deposits. Critics claim these new restrictions limit the autonomy of independent agencies and shield corporations from accountability, while centralizing more power with the administration and limiting valuable information to consumers. 

It’s no surprise that limiting access to information can result in poor decision-making and increases susceptibility to misinformation. Lack of information can affect personal health, economic decisions, and more. 

In contrast, full access to information encourages citizens to get actively involved, contribute ideas, and express points of view on various issues. It also enables users to accomplish tasks more efficiently. In short, access to accurate information empowers individuals by providing knowledge and fostering transparency. 

Clearly, full access to information is pretty much the opposite of what’s happening with this administration. Instead, the current philosophy seems to be trust me. I know what’s best. I’m looking out for you. And there’s no way you can refute what I’m saying because you don’t have accurate data. 

Without access to accurate information, all of us become less committed, less strategic, less intuitive, and less analytically competent. 

Is the concept of withholding information and thereby making the public unable to push back with facts just one step in Trump’s current playbook? Clearly, a lack of facts means a lack of accountability, which also means full steam ahead on the Trump agenda. 

Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, who seems to be becoming more powerful each day, frequently engages in practices that impact transparency and impede the flow of information. He prefers phone calls over emails, making his actions and influence more difficult to trace. A former Trump senior advisor stated that Miller is “comfortable with misinformation to advance his cause.” Others state that his anti-immigration rhetoric is pure propaganda. 

Francis Bacon once wrote, “Knowledge itself is power.” The reverse is also true. Lack of knowledge leads to lack of power. When the masses lose power, those in control gain more power. Something that Trump and his henchman Stephen Miller are making their primary goal.

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.