Trump attacks on press freedom
More than two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” This truth is embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, and with it an informed electorate. Without this protection, democratic self-government could not exist.
President Donald J. Trump has worked hard to destroy this freedom, in order to avoid publicity and accountability for his actions.
He has severely restricted press access to the White House and the Pentagon, subpoenaed journalists’ sources of government information, sued newspapers that publish unflattering stories, and threatened to revoke broadcast licenses. He has also fired government insiders who fail to strictly parrot official talking points, and he has referred to reporters who ask him hard questions as “dumb” and “stupid.”
Most recently, Trump has tried to avoid compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which requires preservation of physical and electronic White House documents — an effort struck down by a federal court.
Autocrats have always feared the public transparency that only a free press can provide. Donald Trump is no exception.