As would a petulant four-year-old, the President of the United States threw a temper tantrum, stomping his feet and holding his breath over the media’s coverage of him. ‘’Wa, wa, wa, wa.”
Being in disagreement with what members of the media have written about him and his administration, Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
‘’ Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they are covering the president of the United States, the Trump Administration or the United States of America,” Trump wrote. ‘’Other Media Outlets to follow.’’
As an aside, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth acknowledged his agreement with the president’s actions. That’s quite an endorsement, coming from one who has been slapped around by the courts for attempting something similar.
Trump might be persecutorily delusional and actually believe that the media‘s coverage of him is dishonest and out to get him.
That, if so, is a fright, but it matters not to the fact he is attempting to eliminate first amendment rights so a viewpoint contrary to his can be reported.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was quick to respond. It rightfully called his ban unconstitutional as textbook viewpoint discrimination. The courts will agree with it if suit is filed.
Viewpoint discrimination is an unconstitutional form of speech restriction. Employing it, Trump has targeted and penalized certain perspectives, such as opinions on the subject of his administration and the actions that it has taken.
In basic terms, Trump has taken a role in a debate and has punished these media outlets based on their opposing opinions. “I am wonderful; no, you are not.”
They are being prohibited from access that would allow them to gather information firsthand so as to develop an opposing opinion, diluting their effectiveness and their first amendment rights.
His expressed threat to add additional media outlets is intended to chill their reporting.
Viewpoint, discrimination differs from content discrimination as the latter bans an entire subject from discussion. Viewpoint discrimination allows the topic to be discussed, but bans the reporting or discussion of specific views.
It should be obvious that what Trump is attempting, as would any aspiring would-be autocrat; it’s to shut down any discussion or perspective that opposes his own. Eliminate criticism.
Mr. Trump follows through with his threat, the courts will enjoin him in a New York minute from barring the media, which has done nothing more than report about him from its perspective.
For a president who has taken an oath, even though he would not put his hand on the Bible, to enforce the Constitution, this is a blatant violation that will be remembered and recorded as one of his most controversial actions against that document.
Do not forget that the reason for doing this is to prevent the citizens of this country from receiving an opinion from the media of the Administration’s actions that are contrary to what the administration says it is doing and why.
You know, like Putin does in Russia.
Likely Trump is playing to his supporters and trolling others.
His supporters don’t care whether he follows the constitution or not; a rebel, and his tough guy unlawful approach. Sort of like Clint Eastwood in “Dirty Harry.”
They love that the rules don’t apply to Trump.
Jim Astrachan is lawyer who represents clients in intellectual property law and litigation, mediation, and business, regulatory, and transactional matters. He’s a Life Fellow of the Baltimore City Bar Foundation, the Maryland Bar Foundation, and the American Bar Foundation.