Center for Public Integrity Board of Directors condemns President Trump’s attacks on the press

Introduction

Note from the CEO: Led by The Boston Globe, more than 350 newspapers are publishing editorials condemning President Donald Trump for his hostile rhetoric directed at the news media. The Center for Public Integrity, in an unprecedented move, has decided to issue a statement speaking out against the president’s attacks:

We, the Board of Directors of the Center for Public Integrity, are deeply concerned about President Trump’s repeated statements that the press is the “enemy of the people.” These statements are unprecedented attacks on freedom of the press, one of the pillars of our democracy. Moreover, they have created a dangerous environment for reporters, who are increasingly facing verbal attacks and even threats of violence from the President’s supporters.

This is the first time in the nearly 30-year history of the Center that its board has felt obligated to issue such a declaration.

We call on the President to recognize the responsible press for what it is: a defender of the public interest and our democracy, a check on power and a valuable resource of information. Fair, rigorous criticism of the press is welcome and expected, but attacks labelling it as the “enemy of the people” or “dangerous & sick” are neither appropriate nor responsible.

The Center for Public Integrity is a non-partisan, non-profit investigative journalism organization. For nearly 30 years it has produced award‑winning, credible, data-driven investigative reporting.