The press is under siege.

The Outsider's take

“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.”

Trump declared he was "banning" CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House over what he called fake news, leading to reporters from all three outlets being turned away the next day. This action constitutes punishment for their coverage, which is unjust. Legally, the press is protected—courts have ruled that journalists cannot be barred from covering the White House based on their reporting. The harm extends beyond just these three outlets because the pool system allows one crew to serve multiple outlets, so excluding CNN impacts many downstream. Other networks seem to agree, as they collectively blocked video coverage of the president, including Fox News, Trump’s favored news source. Today, Trump was holding an event at the White House but there's no audio because the press pool isn't there.

Supporters of the administration argue that the White House isn’t obligated to host every outlet and that the president can criticize coverage he dislikes. However, criticizing the press is different from using state power to exclude reporters. If access is withdrawn over unflattering stories, outlets are forced to choose between criticizing or being present, which deprives the public loses either way.

It was that moment in 2015 when the person asking to sit in the highest office in America mocked a disabled reporter—someone he outranked in privilege and power. Today, under his administration, harassment persists, especially against female reporters. When powerful figures model humiliation, it encourages others to do the same thing. Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others, everyone loses.

While we all recognize that the press is under attack, it’s their relentless pursuit of truth that prevents us from ignoring corruption, injustice, tyranny, victims, secrets, or lies. I believe I value the press more than ever as we navigate these complex times.