Former President Donald Trump has issued pardons to several high-profile Republicans and others convicted of various charges, criticizing the Biden Department of Justice for what he describes as overreach and excessive sentencing, while highlighting his ongoing support for allies and political figures.
The Biden administration is set to challenge a court order that blocked federal officials from collaborating with social media companies to censor speech. The Justice Department will argue in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the order, which was issued on July 4 by a federal judge. The order accused the government of violating the First Amendment by working with tech companies to censor speech on topics such as Hunter Biden's laptop, COVID-19 origins, and face masks. The judge's injunction described the government's actions as an "Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth.'" The Biden administration's appeal claims that the order may prevent the government from working with social media companies to protect the American people and democratic processes.