Editor’s Note: A version of this article appeared on Lisa Stark’s Substack over the weekend, and has garnered sign-on from more than 100 journalists in recent days. The authors are former journalists from ABC News. Lisa Stark was a correspondent and Ian Cameron was a senior and executive producer.
President Donald Trump enjoys playing to the cameras, notably the network television news pool cameras that cover his every public move. But when he departed for New York on Monday, those cameras didn’t go with him. In an unprecedented move, the major television networks that run the television pool—ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC—agreed to cut off coverage of the president after he banned MS NOW, Politico, and CNN from the White House.
Trump announced his ban on Friday. It came after a terrible political week for the president, who is still stuck in his quagmire in Iran, while confronted with skyrocketing diesel and gas prices, and a US Supreme Court rejection of his attempt to curtail mail-in ballots. So, the president did what he does best: tried to change the conversation.
Apparently catching even his own press office by surprise, Trump announced the bans with his usual claim of “fake news” to justify his actions. He also threatened more bans to come. There was just one problem: CNN was the designated pool network for his foray to New York and the United Nations General Assembly this week. With CNN banned from the White House, who would run the pool?
The pool consortium had two options: succumb to the White House and find another network to serve as the pool camera or say, “we’re not playing your game, Mr. President.” Thankfully the networks stood up, citing the public’s “vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government.” Their statement went on to say, “no administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”
We applaud the principled action taken by the networks to halt the pool coverage. Action is always more impactful than words with this president. You can issue statements to condemn the president’s subpoenas of reporters, settle spurious lawsuits, invite him to your dinners in an effort to convince him of the vital role journalists play in our democracy, or feel uncomfortable in the Oval Office when he attacks colleagues, but Trump will still carry on with his authoritarian campaign to intimidate and delegitimize the free press.
We have documented dozens of instances of the Trump administration’s attacks on the press. Some of the most egregious of Trump’s actions are those where he singles out news organizations for doing their jobs. Trump’s FCC tries to take away broadcast licenses from networks whose coverage he doesn’t like. His Justice Department issues subpoenas to journalists who write stories he doesn’t like. And he bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from reporting from the White House because, as he posted on Truth Social Monday afternoon, “Virtually every story about me, or anything having to do with me, is negative, wrong and, in many cases, DANGEROUS for our Country.”
In reacting to Trump’s media ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico, FOX News’ Jacqui Heinrich, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, threw Trump’s words back at him—pointing out that the president described his own action as a “ban on the free press.” As she said in a statement, “The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. The WHCA stands in defense of our colleagues from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico who are being singled out for doing their jobs.”
Monday, some news organizations, including the Washington Post and the New York Times pledged not to publish photos of Trump’s events in New York City during the day, in “a show of support of the banned outlets.” NPR said it won’t use audio from White House events until further notice.
After Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico, we called on the White House Correspondents’ Association and all its members to take decisive action: Tell Trump that until he removes his ban, other news organizations won’t be there either. Present a united front and force the president’s hand. White House reporters need not be at the White House to report on the president and his administration. Journalists have proven with their excellent reporting that they can cover this administration without being in the room where it happens. It won’t be long before the president gets very lonely.
The White House effort to conjure up an alternative, a YouTube livestream called Trump TV, would offer nothing but a steady diet of Trump-approved news. Trump TV will not supplant the outstanding reporting from credible journalists with legitimate news operations. It won’t satisfy the critical tenets underlying the First Amendment, that of an informed citizenry necessary to a functioning democracy.
Before Trump becomes too lonely, however, his latest attack on press freedom may come to a quick end if the courts act to reinstate the banned news organizations. CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit Monday morning asking for their White House press credentials to be restored immediately. As they rightfully argue, the president’s action is unconstitutional—violating their First Amendment rights. They argue it also violates their Fifth Amendment right to due process. Trump already anticipates he will lose and has promised to appeal.
But even if this latest assault is resolved and credentials are reinstated, this escalation cannot be dismissed and forgotten. Trump’s drumbeat against the press is dangerous and un-American. This will not be his last attack on press freedom. Journalists, news organizations and the public must continue to push back relentlessly. Stand up. Don’t back down. Be united. Nothing less than freedom of the press is at stake.
Ian Cameron is a former ABC News senior and executive producer. Lisa Stark is a former ABC News correspondent.
Yes! Enough of strong-worded letters! This doesn't work with bullies.
Nothing Trump says is true anyway. All we’re missing is his lies and propaganda.