In mid-February, the White House barred Associated Press journalists from presidential events for refusing to change the name of a body of water from “the Gulf of Mexico” to “the Gulf of America” in its reporting.
AP sued on various grounds, including due process (citing a court ruling that press access to the White House “undoubtedly qualifies as liberty which may not be denied without due process of law under the fifth amendment”) and First Amendment protections (citing the same ruling).
On February 24, a federal judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order restoring AP’s access while the suit awaits resolution. AP reporters and photographers still possess White House press passes and can attend White House briefings; it’s the Oval Office and Trump’s personal preference they’re excluded from.
Court precedent aside, I don’t see anything in the Constitution requiring the president to speak to, or the White House to “brief,” reporters at all, or specifying which particular agencies, publications, and journalists are part of a special protected class entitled to that kind of access.
In fact, I suspect many Americans wish that the president (not just this one — I’m speaking of the office, not the man) acted a lot less like Dr. Phil (loud, annoying, omnipresent) and more like Punxsutawney Phil (silent, cute, and only very occasionally demanding our attention).
That said, if the press wants to cover the presidency, I suggest that the agencies, publications, and journalists get together and turn the tables.
Just as there’s no constitutional requirement for the president or the White House to host, humor, and answer to journalists, there’s no constitutional requirement for the press to cover the president or the White House at all.
Why don’t the major newspapers, television networks, etc. get together and set up the White House “press pool” on their own terms instead of subjecting themselves to the president’s terms?
They could rent, buy, or build a small studio/auditorium facility, handle their own journalist credentialing, and let the White House and the president know when they’ll be hosting briefings.
The president and/or press secretary could show up or not. If they showed, maybe they’d get some coverage. If not, there’s always other news to report, right?
In anything resembling a free society, an independent press is far more important than any functionary in any fancy office. America’s journalists should take that truth to heart and act on it.
Thomas L. Knapp (X: @thomaslknapp | Bluesky: @knappster.bsky.social | Mastodon: @knappster) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.
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