White House Expands Press Freedom by Removing Press

The Trump administration expanded press freedom Tuesday by explaining that journalism functions best when the government selects the journalists, approves the questions and keeps anyone insufficiently grateful away from the furniture. Under the White House’s new access doctrine, CNN, MSNBC and Politico may continue reporting freely from locations where they cannot see officials, hear answers or verify events. Administration officials said the arrangement eliminates government interference by eliminating the reporters most likely to notice it.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily restored the outlets’ credentials after their lawyers raised the antiquated notion that access rules should contain rules. The organizations are seeking a longer injunction, citing shifting restrictions, unexplained exclusions and the administration’s habit of treating a press pass as a coupon redeemable only when coverage is favorable. President Donald Trump praised the system as a constitutional breakthrough. “We have the freest press anywhere, because the bad press is outside, and the good press is inside saying how free everybody is,” Trump said. “Nobody has ever protected the First Amendment by removing so many people from the room, and frankly the Founders would be very impressed.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said journalists remain entirely free to publish administration-approved descriptions of events they were prohibited from witnessing. “The Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, but it does not mention credentials, hallways, cameras, follow-up questions, working chairs or being close enough to hear the president,” Leavitt said. “Reporters can exercise every one of their rights from across the street, provided they do so respectfully and without reporting anything.” Administration lawyers further argued that inconsistent enforcement strengthens liberty by preventing journalists from developing dangerous expectations involving notice, standards or equal treatment. They warned that judicial oversight could establish a precedent under which constitutional rights remain valid after a president becomes irritated, an outcome officials described as both radical and administratively inconvenient. The White House has therefore secured the freest press in American history by ensuring that fewer members of it are present.

* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.