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Trump takes another step towards autocracy

Sandy Shanks

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From the Pentagon viewpoint, Trumps wants to control the press. It is the first step towards challenging freedom of the press in America.

The Hill reports, "Starting on Wednesday, all but one media outlet that regularly covers the Department of Defense is set to lose access to the Pentagon.

Trump "has demanded that reporters agree by 5 p.m. Tuesday to a new policy, under which they would need to pledge to not obtain or use any unauthorized material, even if the information is unclassified — or hand over their press badges in the next 24 hours. Media outlets say this is a violation of their First Amendment rights, and nearly every news outlet has refused to sign."
The Post reports, "Fox News, along with ABC, CBS and NBC, did not sign the Defense Department’s press policy by Tuesday’s deadline, having earlier in the day denounced the new regulations in a joint statement that included CNN, which previously said it would not sign."

“Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagon’s new requirements, which would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues,” the news networks wrote. “The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.”
"Journalism is not a crime!”


CNN reports, Trump's "policy criminalizes routine reporting, according to media lawyers and advocates, so news outlets are refusing to abide by it. Instead, they are giving up their access to the building, while vowing to continue thoroughly covering Hegseth and the military from outside the Pentagon’s five walls."

This could easily become a good thing. Instead of getting Pentagon propaganda, we are likely to get good honest journalism with unclassified details the Pentagon would prefer not to share.
 
From the Pentagon viewpoint, Trumps wants to control the press. It is the first step towards challenging freedom of the press in America.

The Hill reports, "Starting on Wednesday, all but one media outlet that regularly covers the Department of Defense is set to lose access to the Pentagon.

Trump "hasdemanded that reporters agree by 5 p.m. Tuesday to a new policy, under which they would need to pledge to not obtain or use any unauthorized material, even if the information is unclassified — or hand over their press badges in the next 24 hours. Media outlets say this is a violation of their First Amendment rights, and nearly every news outlet has refused to sign."
The Post reports, "Fox News, along with ABC, CBS and NBC, did not sign the Defense Department’s press policy by Tuesday’s deadline, having earlier in the day denounced the new regulations in a joint statement that included CNN, which previously said it would not sign."

“Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagon’s new requirements, which would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues,” the news networks wrote. “The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.”
"Journalism is not a crime!”


CNN reports, Trump's "policy criminalizes routine reporting, according to media lawyers and advocates, so news outlets are refusing to abide by it. Instead, they are giving up their access to the building, while vowing to continue thoroughly covering Hegseth and the military from outside the Pentagon’s five walls."

This could easily become a good thing. Instead of getting Pentagon propaganda, we are likely to get good honest journalism with unclassified details the Pentagon would prefer not to share.
Media access to administration agencies always has conditions. That access is never unconditional. It is no different with this DOW issue.

The fact is, the media has to make their own choices...and live with the consequences. In this case, they choose to keep their unnamed sources, but they lose their direct access to those sources.
 
Media access to administration agencies always has conditions. That access is never unconditional. It is no different with this DOW issue.

The fact is, the media has to make their own choices...and live with the consequences. In this case, they choose to keep their unnamed sources, but they lose their direct access to those sources.

Why are you so proud to flush the First Amendment down the toilet?

MAGA does not question the king.
 
Media access to administration agencies always has conditions. That access is never unconditional. It is no different with this DOW issue.

The fact is, the media has to make their own choices...and live with the consequences. In this case, they choose to keep their unnamed sources, but they lose their direct access to those sources.
In other words, nothing has changed.
 
Why are you so proud to flush the First Amendment down the toilet?

MAGA does not question the king.
He is a Trump Republican. Amazing how warped their thinking is. They have lost their common sense.

Most of them don't talk much.
 
The President informed the news media that he has authorized the CIA to use covert operations in Venezuela.

Think about that for a moment.
 
In other words, nothing has changed.
Incorrect.

It changes the way the media communicates with their unnamed sources. Instead of a reporter walking around the Pentagon and talking one on one with their source, they will either have to communicate electronically...social media, voice, text, email, etc...or they will have to personally meet outside of the Pentagon.

Surveillance can detect those methods...and the source will be exposed...and neutralized.
 
From the Pentagon viewpoint, Trumps wants to control the press. It is the first step towards challenging freedom of the press in America.

The Hill reports, "Starting on Wednesday, all but one media outlet that regularly covers the Department of Defense is set to lose access to the Pentagon.

Trump "hasdemanded that reporters agree by 5 p.m. Tuesday to a new policy, under which they would need to pledge to not obtain or use any unauthorized material, even if the information is unclassified — or hand over their press badges in the next 24 hours. Media outlets say this is a violation of their First Amendment rights, and nearly every news outlet has refused to sign."
The Post reports, "Fox News, along with ABC, CBS and NBC, did not sign the Defense Department’s press policy by Tuesday’s deadline, having earlier in the day denounced the new regulations in a joint statement that included CNN, which previously said it would not sign."

“Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagon’s new requirements, which would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues,” the news networks wrote. “The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.”
"Journalism is not a crime!”


CNN reports, Trump's "policy criminalizes routine reporting, according to media lawyers and advocates, so news outlets are refusing to abide by it. Instead, they are giving up their access to the building, while vowing to continue thoroughly covering Hegseth and the military from outside the Pentagon’s five walls."

This could easily become a good thing. Instead of getting Pentagon propaganda, we are likely to get good honest journalism with unclassified details the Pentagon would prefer not to share.
I agree. Deprive Donald and @Mycroft of the press that they so desperately crave.
 
Media access to administration agencies always has conditions. That access is never unconditional.
Not like this. This is unprecedented.

It is no different with this DOW issue.

Doppler On Wheels?

The fact is, the media has to make their own choices...and live with the consequences.

And Haggis lives with the consequences of being sued for violating the 1st Amendment.
 
Yes, in that way Trump can control Pentagon media, as I said.

You seem to think that is a good idea.
Of course, he can control it. That's what every President wants to happen.
 
Trump has declared war on Venezuela!

Only Congress has the power to declare war, but Trump doesn't care.

Neither does the Republican Congress. Besides, Trump gave notice to Congress.

The Times reports, "Trump has decided that the United States is engaged in a formal “armed conflict” with drug cartels his team has labeled terrorist organizations and that suspected smugglers for such groups are “unlawful combatants,” the administration said in a confidential notice to Congress this week.

"The notice was sent to several congressional committees and obtained by The New York Times."

Also, the President informed the news media that he has authorized the CIA to use covert operations in Venezuela. Stop and think about that.

Trump is a murderer. BBC reports, "Trump has confirmed a report he authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, provoking outrage from the South American nation's leader.

Trump's "US forces have already conducted at least five strikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing 27 people. UN-appointed human rights experts have described the raids as "extrajudicial executions."

Trump has no idea who those people were.

These are the actions of an autocrat, and he has the full support of the Republican Party.
 
The Hill reports, "Starting on Wednesday, all but one media outlet that regularly covers the Department of Defense is set to lose access to the Pentagon.

That is fine with me. I have long felt the embedding of journalists within the Pentagon and the White House was a bad thing for our Nation.
 
The Hill reports, "Starting on Wednesday, all but one media outlet that regularly covers the Department of Defense is set to lose access to the Pentagon.

That is fine with me. I have long felt the embedding of journalists within the Pentagon and the White House was a bad thing for our Nation.

Covering any arm of this administration is just listening to dumbass lies.
 
Media access to administration agencies always has conditions.
Therefore the next Democrat in the white house can unilaterally declare that media must sign a pledge to only ever be favorable to Democrats and never be favorable to Republicans.

Right? Any condition is valid?
 
Covering any arm of this administration is just listening to dumbass lies.
Yeah.

All the more reason for legitimate journalists, en masse, to step far away from the Trump Propaganda Trough's.

Trump's dumbassery is rubbing off on them.
 
Therefore the next Democrat in the white house can unilaterally declare that media must sign a pledge to only ever be favorable to Democrats and never be favorable to Republicans.

Right? Any condition is valid?
They can try, but your hypothetical has nothing to do with what the DOW is doing.
 
Cause they're Fascists.

That simple.

I thought that the fascists were the ones running the show. What do they call the willing supplicants (as opposed to those resisting)?
 
Those media outlets refusing to cover the Pentagon due to Hegseth's new rules should just apply the same media blackout to news about trump.
It would be mere days before the Buffoon caved and ordered Hegseth to return to the former rules. trump can't stand not seeing his image on TV
and in print.
 
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