• by Melynda Fuller , August 9, 2018

On July 20, New York Times publisher A. G. Sulzberger and President Trump met to discuss the president’s “deeply troubling anti-press rhetoric.” 

Afterwards, Trump tweeted that he and Sulzberger had discussed the media’s publishing of fake news and how that threatened public lives through irresponsible reporting, which eventually morphed into the phrase “Enemy of the People.”

Sulzburger fired back, saying this was a gross misrepresentation of the meeting. 

“I told the president directly that I thought his language was not just divisive but increasingly dangerous:” Sulzberger later stated.

“I told him that although the phrase ‘fake news’ is untrue and harmful, I am far more concerned about his labeling journalists ‘the enemy of the people.’ I warned that this inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists and will lead to violence,” he noted.

Sadly, the president’s rhetoric against the media seems to be working, though the volatile language threatens the freedom of the press, enshrined in the First Amendment. A free press is a key democratic principle; it serves as a bulwark against tyranny.

According to The Daily Beast, a recent public opinion survey conducted by Ipsos, 43% of Republicans believe “the president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in bad behavior.” 

A scant 36% disagreed with the statement.

When it came to specific outlets, such as CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times, 23% of polled Republicans believed they should be shut down, while 49% disagreed. 

In addition, 48% of polled Republicans agreed with the statement “the news media is the enemy of the American people.” Only 28% disagreeing.  

Some 79% of those polled agreed “the mainstream media treats President Trump unfairly.”

Democrats and Independents also weighed in on anti-press sentiments.

Regarding a president’s power to close news outlets “engaged in bad behavior,” 12% of Democrats and 21% of Independents agreed, while 12% of Democrats and 26% of Independents agreed with the statement: “the news media is the enemy of the American people.” 

One proviso: "bad behavior" is not defined. Does it mean any reporting, however truthful, that doesn't cheerlead for your candidate? The Founders envisioned the press as a watchdog that would speak truth to power, not a lapdog that doubles as state-sanction media, a Kremlin specialty.

The Constitution safeguards freedom of the press — which Trump took an oath to uphold.

The news cycle is faster than ever. Journalists are charged with providing in-depth, accurate reporting to keep the public informed. To denigrate that role out of ego or political insecurity, is to endanger a sacred trust. As Thomas Jefferson wrote: "An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people."