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An open letter to Trump from the US press corps

18.01.2017, 13:54

US press corps wrote an open letter to elected president Donald Trump in order to clarify how journalists see the relationship with the presidential administration, Media Sapiens says.

Journalists wrote that the relationship between the parties will be strained and it is not a surprise. "Reports over the last few days that your press secretary is considering pulling news media offices out of the White House are the latest in a pattern of behavior that has persisted throughout the campaign." - the letter tells. Journalists reminded to elected president, about how he denied access to the publications of his campaign, threatened journalists with lawsuits and insulted individual journalists on Twitter.

"You’ve avoided the press when you could and flouted the norms of pool reporting and regular press conferences. You’ve ridiculed a reporter who wrote something you didn’t like because he has a disability," - the US press corps reminded. Authors of the letter noted that while the Constitution protects the freedom of the press, it doesn’t dictate how the president must honor that.

Journalists also identified several items in which they have tried to describe what awaits the president in the next four years. Press corps promised to monitor in detail the work of the new government and not to give airtime to those officials who blatantly distort the truth and to decide when to give the speakers and Trump deputies opportunity to speak "off the record".

"Access is preferable, but not critical. We are very good at finding alternative ways to get information; indeed, some of the best reporting during the campaign came from news organizations that were banned from your rallies. Telling reporters that they won’t get access to something isn’t what we’d prefer, but it’s a challenge we relish. If you think reporters who don’t agree to the rules, and are shut out, won’t get the story, see above."

Journalists also intend to unite and "set higher standards for ourselves than ever before."

"We’re playing the long game. Best-case scenario, you’re going to be in this job for eight years. We’ve been around since the founding of the republic, and our role in this great democracy has been ratified and reinforced again and again and again. You have forced us to rethink the most fundamental questions about who we are and what we are here for. For that we are most grateful."

At the end they wish the elected president to enjoy his inauguration.

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