More than 250 journalists have sent a protest letter to the White House Correspondents’ Association, demanding that the press engage in a “forceful” confrontation with the Trump administration.
The letter claimed that the Trump admin’s actions “represent the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president.”
“We understand that some journalists plan to wear pocket handkerchiefs or lapel pins with the words of the First Amendment,” the letter adds. “And continuing in that spirit, we believe the White House Correspondents Association should take stronger action by issuing – from the podium – a forceful defense of freedom of the press and condemnation of those who threaten that freedom, followed by a standing toast to the First Amendment and a pledge to continue upholding such a critical cornerstone of our democracy. Speak forcefully, in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country’s long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press.”
“We also urge the WHCA to reaffirm, without equivocation, that freedom of the press is not a partisan issue and that the Association will not normalize this behavior but instead fight back against any officeholder who has waged systematic war against the journalists whose work the dinner celebrates,” it reads.
Twenty-two alleged actions against freedom of the press committed by the White House were detailed.
Groups such as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Coalition for Women in Journalism, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, among many individual reporters, signed the letter.
