A bill of rights and wrongs

A graphic of President Trump, overlaid with logos from the three banned new outlets (Ryan Win-Ruan / The Puma Prensa)

By Ryan Win-Ruan, Senior News Editor

The Trump administration has recently moved to ban three news outlets from White House coverage, originally citing allegations of spreading “fake news” and misinformation as justification. This has created enormous debates across the country, as it comes at a highly chaotic time where the legality of everything from presidential actions to federal rights has been called into question. 

At the center of this conflict is the First Amendment, which includes freedom of the press among its many assurances. Trump’s actions have raised several concerns among his opposition, who have criticized his decision as a breach of freedom in the US. He has most recently responded with a justification built on the grounds of national security, a switch from his previous claims of alleged misinformation and negative language made just days earlier.

The three banned outlets have since banded together,  launching a joint legal action on the grounds that the administration’s actions thus far have been unconstitutional. 49 other media outlets, including Fox News, The New York Times, and CBS News, have announced their support for the three targeted networks, a powerful statement of solidarity and unity against the government’s decisions.

Although Trump’s decision has been temporarily overturned, he continues to push for a permanent decision regarding the issue, and legal movements are bound to last into the upcoming weeks with Timothy Kelly as the presiding federal judge over this case, though further action will raise this to higher courts if necessary. The president has made clear that he plans to appeal the 14-day restraining order decision, which has allowed the three banned networks back into the White House.

The road ahead remains uncertain, as news outlets and government officials alike navigate the constantly shifting political climate.