Wikipedia, long heralded as the world’s largest online encyclopedia, is facing a steady stream of attacks from right-leaning figures and institutions who claim the site exhibits liberal bias and suppresses conservative viewpoints. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has become a powerful driver of President Donald Trump’s agenda, and other right-wing commentators have increased their criticisms in recent months, raising concerns about threats to the organization and its volunteer editors.
In January 2025, Elon Musk escalated a long-running feud with the platform by calling on users of X, the social media company he owns, to withdraw support from Wikipedia. “Defund Wikipedia until balance is restored,” Musk wrote in a post. The renewed focus on the encyclopedic site has raised concerns about whether Wikipedia, built on a community of some 260,000 volunteer writers and editors, can withstand increasing political scrutiny.
A January 2025 article from The Forward reported that the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, had published a “Wikipedia White Paper” alleging widespread bias on topics including immigration, climate change and trans rights. The Foundation, which also published Project 2025, a detailed guide outlining a second Trump administration, claimed right-of-center editors were being marginalized or blocked entirely. In a statement to The Forward, a Heritage spokesperson said Wikipedia “has strayed far from its original vision of neutrality.”
In a January 30 public meeting of trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, leaders cited the organization’s dedication to its public policy of ensuring articles are written in a neutral voice. The leaders also acknowledged the increasing pressure they feel from scrutiny by Musk and others. “I’m keeping an eye on the rising noise of criticism from Elon Musk and others and I think that’s something we need to grapple with,” said Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander added: “We’re seeing an increase in threats, both regulation and litigation across the world ... so the best we can do is monitor, check in on staff, and try to understand what’s needed ... that’s the most honest answer I can give you to an impossible set of questions we’re all grappling with on a daily basis.”
During the same meeting, the Foundation’s attorney, Phil Bradley-Schmieg, said the nonprofit organization is developing new tools to roll out later this year to help contributors remain anonymous to avoid harassment.
A Wikipedia spokesperson told E&P these tools were already in the works, “This effort has been underway since 2021 and will be deployed on all projects by the end of 2025.” They added, “For almost 25 years, Wikipedia has endured as a vital information resource thanks to the nearly 260,000 volunteers’ efforts to create and moderate all the information on the site. The Wikimedia Foundation is committed to protecting the safety of the volunteer editors worldwide who contribute to Wikipedia — the people who make Wikipedia a reliable and trusted source of knowledge.”
As the political climate grows more polarized and online platforms become battlegrounds for influence, the Wikimedia Foundation’s efforts signal a broader recognition that even the most collaborative spaces on the internet are not immune from real-world pressures.
Update 5/1/25: In late April, The Free Press reported that interim U.S. attorney Ed Martin, a Trump-appointed prosecutor in Washington, sent a letter to the Wikimedia Foundation accusing it of potentially violating its obligations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In the letter, Martin alleged Wikipedia is allowing foreign actors to manipulate content and spread propaganda to the U.S. public and demanded answers from the nonprofit to questions about its editorial processes.
Diane Sylvester is an award-winning 30-year multimedia news veteran. She works as a reporter, editor, and newsroom strategist. She can be reached at diane.povcreative@gmail.com
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