Increased denials and redactions:
Data analyzed by the Associated Press showed that government agencies censored, withheld, or could not find requested files more frequently during the first Trump administration than in the previous decade.
Significant processing delays:
Watchdog organizations and investigative journalists reported that FOIA delays increased at many federal agencies. Even requests granted expedited processing often took an unusually long time to be fulfilled.
Undermined FOIA staffing:
Congressional Democrats raised concerns that the administration eliminated staff responsible for handling FOIA requests at various federal agencies, hindering their ability to process requests effectively.
And so there have been lawsuits...
Lawsuits to compel compliance:
Numerous FOIA lawsuits were filed against the Trump administration by transparency advocates and news organizations to force agencies to release records. These legal challenges sought records on topics ranging from agency operations to specific policies.
Agency-specific resistance:
Some agencies under the Trump administration were cited for specific FOIA issues. For example, congressional testimony criticized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allegedly delaying "politically charged" FOIA requests. The Department of Energy was also sued for an attempt to close old FOIA requests unlawfully.
So yes, the FOIA process has remained during the Trump administration because by law it has to be so. And yes with a big "but" it's been used successfully by journalists and watchdog groups to obtain important records. BUT many of these documents were released because of lawsuits or persistent pressure, in contrast to the normal, timely FOIA process.
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