President Donald J. Trump’s reported ban of MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House is outrageous, dangerous and fundamentally contrary to the Constitution he swore to uphold. A president does not get to decide which news organizations may cover the government based on whether their coverage is flattering. The First Amendment protects a free press precisely because those in power often dislike scrutiny.

This is not merely a dispute between politicians and reporters. It is a direct attack on the public’s right to know what its government is doing. When access is granted or revoked according to loyalty, the White House begins to look less like the people’s house and more like a private political club. That is intolerable in a democracy.

America’s founders understood that government power must be checked by an independent press. Courts have repeatedly recognized that the government cannot punish journalists for unfavorable coverage without due process or viewpoint discrimination concerns. If a president can exclude major news outlets today, he can threaten any outlet tomorrow.

Congress, the courts and the public must respond with urgency. This conduct is not normal, not defensible and not compatible with constitutional government. A president who attacks press freedom and defies the basic limits of his office has forfeited the public trust. Trump must be held accountable and, through lawful constitutional means, removed from office.

Vincent Sanzotti,

Center Township