Donald Trump has been a proponent of the moniker “fake news,” since he began running for office. He’s chastised every media outlet that he believes has either slighted him or reported something about him that he did not like. For a long time, he would either tweet insults at The Media or call them “fake new,” “failing,” “dishonest,” “losers,” and any inflammatory thing he could think of at the time. However, he has transitioned from mere insults to bold threats. He is now claiming he wants to terminate their ability to broadcast news.
Trump threatens to cancel NBC’s broadcast license over critical reporting https://t.co/nrK4mPwwx6
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 11, 2017
Below are Trump's tweets about the media.
Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017
With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017
Trump wants to shutdown unfavorable coverage
Dictatorships are the places you would expect a leader to control what the media conveys to the masses. For example, in North Korea, the state controls the media and what the media can broadcast. Trump, by tweeting that licenses of media outlets, like NBC, should be challenged and may be revoked, is similar rhetoric indicative of a dictatorship, not a constitutional republic.
The United States of America has a constitution that governs how we as a society must operate. The very first amendment specifically protects the free press and entities like NBC. The first Amendment States, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".
There's an argument that Trump's new threats against NBC & the NFL have crossed the line into an actual First Amendment violation. (Thread) pic.twitter.com/CnRKntDckA
— Trevor Timm (@trevortimm) October 11, 2017
It is clear that the drafters of the constitution made this amendment the very first amendment of the constitution, for a reason.
No amendment is absolute in its application, as they are all interpretable and modifiable depending on how judges interpret them at any given time. However, the media cannot, constitutionally, be prohibited from broadcasting because of a demand from the President. Furthermore, the majority of what the media reports about Trump are his own actions, tweets, or reports from leakers/insiders. There hasn’t been a story about him, of great consequence, that was considered inaccurate. Therefore, it is irrational for Donald to be threatening to revoke media licenses. He doesn’t have the power to do so.
Trump’s tweets even alarm his own party
His tweets have become so alarming that a Republican Senator, Ben Sasse, from Nebraska had to challenge Trump about his tweets and remind him about the oath of office he took.
Mr. President:
— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) October 12, 2017
Are you recanting of the Oath you took on Jan. 20 to preserve, protect, and defend the 1st Amendment? pic.twitter.com/XLB7QXM3bQ
What is further concerning is the fact that Trump didn’t realize that the licenses he wants to revoke, are provided by the FCC to broadcast stations, not the networks. Essentially, to implement this idea of his, he would have to revoke the licenses of companies that broadcast so many different networks, and who do not control the network/s he’s angry with. He did not understand that what he tweeted was entirely unconstitutional, but also inapplicable to the networks because they don’t have licenses with the FCC.
Trump’s conduct has become much more erratic and alarming over time.
His behavior has always been concerning, but his need to trample on the constitution is very scary. If he forbids networks from broadcasting news that he does not like, very soon he will be censuring the general public too. We will no longer be free to express ourselves for fear that he may not like it. He will render the constitution entirely meaningless.
His tweets are reckless. His tweets encourage totalitarianism. The United States will no longer be great unless we continue to abide by and honor the constitution. Otherwise, whatever freedom we felt we had will no longer exist.