Sen. Mark Kelly (D- Ariz.) urged news organizations to continue reporting on the government and holding those in power accountable, saying press freedom is essential to informing the American public.
Kelly Defends Press Freedom
On Monday, in a post on X, Kelly said, “A free press doesn’t exist to make a president look good. It exists to inform the American people and hold those in power accountable,” he wrote.
He added, “The government doesn’t get to decide which voices are heard or silence those it doesn’t like. That’s not how America works.”
Kelly Urges Media Accountability
In an interview clip shared alongside the post, Kelly urged CNN, Politico and other news organizations to “double down” on the accountability part of their job.
“I hope you double down … on the accountability part of your job, keeping any government, this one, the one before it, regardless of who is in the White House,” Kelly said.
“Your job is to inform the American people, and I know that just got a lot harder for you,” he added.
Kelly said journalists should find ways to report what is happening inside the government despite “adverse circumstances.”
Democrats Criticized Trump’s Press Ban
Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said President Donald Trump was threatening to target additional news organizations that criticize him, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, and added, “We will not accept authoritarianism.”
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said press freedom “was a right guaranteed by the First Amendment — not granted at the pleasure of the President.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) said the ban was part of what he described as a broader pattern, citing actions including “seizing ballots” and “deploying troops into American cities.”
Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House on Friday, accusing the outlets of publishing “FAKE NEWS” about his administration.
Trump Threatened FCC Action Against Welker
Last month, Trump threatened to seek Federal Communications Commission action against NBC News’ “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker after she described his endorsement record as producing “mixed results.”
Trump called the characterization a “purposeful inaccuracy” and said Welker would be “reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment.”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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