The dinner took place during a tense period between Trump’s White House and the press. Trump’s team had attempted to control which news outlets could be part of the White House press pool, even temporarily banning the Associated Press (AP). Thankfully, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore the AP’s access, demonstrating that the courts still protect press freedom.
The night was not just about standing up for the press but also about honoring good work. Reporters Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani from the Associated Press won an award and received a standing ovation. “This has been a challenging couple of months for AP’s White House crew, so this means a whole lot to our entire team,” Madhani said. Axios reporter Alex Thompson was also honored and bravely admitted, “We, myself included, missed a lot of this story” about Biden’s cognitive decline. His honesty reminded everyone that real journalism means telling the truth, even when it is hard.
The real enemy is not the press. The real enemy is lies, fear, and silence. Daniels said it best: “Everyone can and should stand up against government interference in a free press.”
Featured image via Screengrab
