• by Fern Siegel , July 7, 2017

Someone in the White House should remind the President that on the road, he doubles as America’s cheerleader. He is there to safeguard and promote our best traditions.

Yet speaking in Poland yesterday, he remained in campaign mode, dismissing the idea of Russia’s interference in our elections. Instead, he performed a kind of verbal jiujitsu.

Trump brushed aside the findings of 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that confirmed Vladimir Putin tried to destabilize our democracy. (Given the post-election investigations, one could cogently argue that he has succeeded.) Seconds later, Trump cited the same information as proof President Obama should have acted, suggesting he “choked.”

Of course, Obama did respond — seizing two Russian compounds in the U.S. He also, according to The Washington Post, “fought fire with fire via a covert, retaliatory cyber operation.” Its June 29 article noted that “it was designed to be detected by Moscow and to imply Washington’s ability to inflict severe damage should Russia’s meddling increase.”

Could Obama have been more public in his denunciation before the election? It’s a fair question.

But it’s an odd question coming from Trump, who was the beneficiary of Putin’s machinations. Trump tends to put reason and logic on the same shelf as reality. It’s just too high to reach.

Thus, after complaining about his favorite topic — fake news — during the televised briefing, he turned to the Polish prime minister and asked whether his country had a similar problem. This beggars belief.

All self-respecting journalists watching the press conference were probably smacking their cheeks like the abandoned kid in “Home Alone.”

Reality check. Per Reporters Without Borders, “media freedom is proving increasingly fragile” due to, among other reasons, “poisonous rhetoric.” Attacks on journalists are also up.

The 2017 World Press Freedom Index ranked the United States at No. 43, well behind Europe, as well as Latvia, Uruguay and South Africa. Poland Is No. 54, given its recent press crackdowns. Trump is our national representative; he is supposed to champion our media freedoms, not degrade them.

Here’s the irony: In the post-war years, our leaders routinely touted freedom of the press as a hallmark of American democracy. True, journalists may have been unduly discreet about White House sexcapades in JFK’s era, but they remained a strong voice for the people. 

Consider the Watergate coverage and the strong current political reporting by The Washington Post, The New York Times, Politico, MSNBC, and yes -- even Trump’s least-favorite network, CNN. And that’s just for openers.

Also, the press doesn’t just cover Trump World. It has also highlighted cyber-security threats; the failed coup in Turkey; Flint, Michigan’s water crisis; the Orlando nightclub shooting; the California warehouse fire; North Korea’s missile threats; the controversial health-care bill, etc.

That list doesn’t even include the incredible work of local media, which covers key enterprise stories. From school board and police corruption to the demise of town factories, reporters are dedicated to representing and defending community interests.

The truth doesn’t change — no matter how many times the phrase “fake news” is invoked.  

The Founding Fathers enshrined freedom of the press in the First Amendment. It’s not only worth defending — it’s worth cherishing. And if the President ever exits the campaign trail — and glances at the Constitution — we may even see the U.S. top Scandinavia in next year’s World Press Freedom rankings.

Let’s make America’s press freedoms great again.