The Committee to Protect Journalists has written to US President Donald Trump to express their concerns over a “pattern of actions” by him and his administration that “threatens news media and impeded the free flow of information on issues of great public interest.”
In particular, they noted regular statements that delegitimize the role of the press, retaliation against journalists for critical coverage, prosecutions that equate leaking classified documents to the press as espionage, harassment of journalists at US borders and limitations on access to information.
CPJ has made nine recommendations to the Trump administration. They are as follows:
- Publicly recognize and affirm the role of a free press in a democracy and refrain from delegitimizing or discrediting the media or journalists performing their vital function — not least during a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Refrain from vilifying individual journalists and media outlets, including on Twitter.
- Resume daily press briefings and ensure that reporters independently credentialed by the White House Correspondents Association are granted access. Ensure journalists and their associations have equal and fair access to the White House and State Department and are not punished for unfavourable coverage.
- Speak to reporters on the record and avoid over-reliance on confidential briefings. Avoid the perception of political favouritism by granting presidential interviews to a range of news outlets, not just those that produce favourable coverage.
- Do not retaliate against media outlets by interfering or threatening to interfere in the financial independence of their owners. Refrain from threats to rescind the broadcasting licenses of television and radio stations regarded as critical of the administration or its supporters.
- Instruct all government departments to ensure timely compliance with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests without regard to the media organizations or reporters filing those requests.
- Implement, at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the recommendations laid out in CPJ’s 2018 report “Nothing to Declare,” including requiring a warrant for device searches and releasing transparency reports about such searches.
- Prohibit DHS and CBP agents from asking journalists about their beats, opinions, contacts, or coverage. Provide the information related to CBP as requested in the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by CPJ and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) without further delay.
- End the practice of bringing espionage charges against news sources who leak classified information to journalists, as it creates a chilling effect and restricts the free flow of information on matters of public interest. Drop the espionage charges against Julian Assange and cease efforts to extradite him to the U.S.
- Order the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the requirement, under the National Defense Authorization Act, to provide an unclassified report to Congress listing individuals determined to be involved in any way in the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Impose sanctions on those deemed to be responsible, including Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.
The CPJ notes that while he has made himself personally accessible to the media in an unprecedented way, his actions have deepened distrust of the media and made it more difficult for the public to access accurate information from the government.
They have asked Trump for a meeting or a designated official to discuss the concerns and recommendations for improving media freedom in the US.
