President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday directed Republicans in Congress to block a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting journalists from government surveillance.
in post Trump shared a PBS News segment on Truth Social outlining the intent of the bipartisan bill and its current status in Congress. “Republicans must kill this bill!” Trump wrote.
Protecting Reporters from Predatory State Espionage (PRESS) Act. passed The House aims to enact the nation's first federal press shield law with bipartisan support in early 2024. The bill's co-sponsors, Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, welcomed the bill's passage in January.
“Unanimous House passage of the Press Act brings America closer to enacting the first-ever federal Press Shield Act. The Press Act significantly strengthens the meaning of the freedom of the press promised in the Constitution. “I guess so,” Raskin said. “This remarkable bipartisan vote in a time of increasing partisan polarization underscores the binding and universal appeal of freedom of the press as a key constitutional principle. This is an important victory for our values.”
Kiley agreed with Raskin, noting that governments of both parties are abusing their powers to target journalists and force them to disclose their sources. (Related: Musk, Ramaswamy outline DOGE plan calling for significant job cuts)
“Administrations of both parties unfairly targeted journalists and used coercive procedures to obtain source information from journalists. Most states protect journalists from such interference, and Congress also It’s past time to protect it as well,” Kiley said.
Jody Ginsburg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, emphasized the urgency of this bill: interview On PBS News.
“It's very important that we have a federal shield law to protect journalists at the federal level. We know President Trump is interested in going after whistleblowers and people who leak information, and we know that they are It is absolutely essential that they are protected, that journalists' sources are protected, and that journalists are able to do their jobs,” Ginsburg said.
Trump did not explain his opposition to the bill in his Truth Social post. 2022 Republican Arkansas State Sen. Tom Cotton criticized Regarding the role of news organizations in handling classified information, especially in times of conflict, he believes it is detrimental to U.S. national security. In his statement, Cotton highlighted several historical cases in which he believes news organizations have violated military and security operations by publishing classified information.
The Press Act will protect journalists and leakers from the consequences of their actions, even when their actions endanger the lives and safety of Americans. pic.twitter.com/de0d3GrYcy
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) December 14, 2022
“During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the media regularly exposed American efforts to hunt down terrorists, details that helped our enemies cover their tracks and evade justice. These leaks were reckless and harmful to national security. “However, the Press Act would shield journalists and leakers alike from scrutiny and consequences for their actions,” Cotton said.
“This bill would prohibit the government from forcing individuals who call themselves journalists to disclose the source or content of such harmful leaks.”
President Trump said Monday that a “free, fair and open media” is essential to his vision to “Make America Great Again.” In the middle interview On Fox News Digital, he acknowledged that he has an “obligation” to interact with news organizations. Even if he believes the news media has treated him “incomprehensibly badly.”
During the meeting, President Trump said he would position the United States as “the greatest and most powerful country in the world.” He also discussed the media strategy for the next term and pointed out the importance of promoting transparent communication with journalists.
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