US — #WeeklyAddress: April 22–29: White House calls RSF’s World Press Freedom Index’s US ranking “ridiculous”

Sanders calls US World Press Freedom Index ranking “ridiculous”

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders clashed with two journalists over President Donald Trump’s effect on US press freedom during an April 25 press briefing. When Steve Herman, Voice of America’s White House correspondent, asked Sanders if she knew the US dropped two places in ranking to 45th in Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2018 World Press Freedom Index, and that RSF placed much of the blame on President Donald Trump, Sanders said she rejected the idea that Trump had done anything to diminish US press freedom. “I think we’re one of the most accessible administrations that we’ve seen in decades,” Sanders said, “I think by my mere presence of standing up here and taking your questions unvetted is a pretty good example of freedom of the press.” RSF responded to Sanders’ claims, saying she is “in denial” by calling the US rating “ridiculous.”

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta followed up by asking Sanders if she thought this administration was a “champion of a free press.” Sanders responded, “We support a free press but we also support a fair press…That’s one of the reasons I’m standing here taking your questions, and a lot of times taking your questions in a tone that’s completely unnecessary, unneeded and frankly doesn’t help further the conversation.” Acosta has been verbally attacked by both the President and the White House Communications team multiple times during Trump’s tenure. Trump’s 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale suggested in a tweet to take away Acosta’s press credentials after he tried to ask Trump a question during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on April 2.

Trump skips WHCA dinner, insults the press during Michigan rally

President Trump skipped out on the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 28 and instead hosted a rally in Michigan, during which he repeatedly insulted the media and expressed distaste toward coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. “Sources don't exist. These people are very dishonest people, many of them. Fake news. Very dishonest." He also told the crowd that “[the media] hate your guts.” This is the second year Trump opted out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Instead of attending last year, Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania where he made similar remarks about the media.

White House correspondents recount death threats, difficulties covering Trump

On April 24 Variety’s Senior Washington Editor Ted Johnson published an article spotlighting the obstacles that reporters endure covering the Trump administration. Johnson wrote: “Just about any correspondent covering the White House today will tell you that the kind of tension and animus that exists between the press corps and the Trump administration is something new and different. Most reporters share a sense that covering Trump is a challenge like no other, at a time when political journalists and the First Amendment are under siege.” He interviewed multiple journalists for this article, including CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta and American Urban Radio Networks’ White House correspondent April Ryan. Both Acosta and Ryan discussed the numerous death threats that they have received covering Trump. Ryan said she often receives death threats simply for asking a question, causing her to “have law enforcement on speed dial,” and Acosta said he receives death threats on a weekly basis.

In July 2017, journalists Jared Yates Sexton and CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski began receiving intimidating messages, including some deaths threats, on social media and to their personal phone numbers. The threats began after Sexton and Kaczynski reported on the Reddit user who created the video of Trump wrestling and violently punching a figure whose head was replaced by the CNN logo, which Trump retweeted.

Media access denied at Trump’s first state dinner

President Trump broke from long-standing White House tradition by not inviting any members of the press to his first state dinner, which he hosted on April 24 for French President Emmanuel Macron. Unlike Trump, former President Barack Obama invited reporters from multiple news outlets to his state dinner with Macron’s predecessor, Francois Hollande, in 2014. The guests included former New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, CNN president Jeff Zucker and representatives of The Associated Press, Reuters, The Atlantic, Cosmopolitan and numerous French media outlets. The Trump administration frequently limits press access to major events or trips. Earlier this week, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt didn’t invite members of the press to an announcement he made about his commitment to transparency, and on April 3 Pruitt held an event with “limited press access,” to which only Fox News was invited.

DOJ removed language about press freedom from its manual

Among changes the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has made to its US Attorney’s manual since the fall, Buzzfeed News reported on April 29 that language regarding press freedom has been removed from the manual. A section called “Need for Free Press and Public Trial” has been deleted, and new language has been added instructing prosecutors to report all contact with members of the press and not to release any classified information to reporters. Federal prosecutors in US attorney offices across the country use this manual for guidance, as do other DOJ lawyers. The new changes have not been publicly announced yet and the DOJ declined to comment on any of the specific changes. These changes reflect the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on governmental leaks to the press. There have been two leak prosecutions during the Trump administration. Most recently, Terry Albury pleaded guilty last week to two felony violations of the Espionage Act.

Poll shows majority of Republicans believe media is enemy of the people

According to an April 26 Quinnipiac University National Poll, 51 percent of Republicans say the media is “the enemy of the people” rather than an important part of democracy, while 3 percent of Democrats believe the same. This poll was conducted from April 20 to April 24 and over one thousand voters nationwide were surveyed. Anti-press rhetoric has been used frequently by the Trump administration. Trump has called the media an “enemy of the American people,” and has verbally attacked and denounced the media’s authenticity by repeatedly referring to “fake news” and creating the “Fake News Awards.”

The United States ranks 45th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2018 World Press Freedom Index after falling 2 places in the last year.