Trump’s latest attacks on the press exude desperation | Margaret Sullivan

Donald Trump appears to constantly invent new ways to attack the mainstream press, regardless of legal or public opinion consequences. Recently, he barred Politico from boarding Air Force One, where it was meant to provide coverage for the rest of the press corps during a campaign stop in Nebraska. This action was met with solidarity from other media outlets who decided not to fill the Politico spot.

The White House claimed that Trump would "continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press," despite previous efforts to ban Politico, CNN, and MSN from the White House. These organizations promptly sued, arguing that Trump's actions were unconstitutional. A judge temporarily blocked the White House from taking away press badges, but the fight is far from over as a hearing will be held later in the week for a preliminary injunction.

The Trump administration maintains that traveling with the president is a privilege, not a right. Trump has been targeting individual journalists and entire news outlets for years, filing lawsuits against the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Disney, which owns ABC News and local affiliates. Around 50 media organizations have backed the lawsuit filed by the three targeted outlets.

President Trump's actions seem to garner attention, which he requires to maintain his narrative, even if much of the attention is negative. His recent comments about Iran's potential to "take out" major U.S. cities have been widely criticized, with California's Democratic governor calling him "deranged and dangerous." The press corps' recent solidarity is a positive development, signaling that they are standing together in the face of Trump's constant abuse.