The White House has alleged that the media routinely reports on classified information and government secrets that put lives in danger and risk valuable national security tools, while reiterating that it supports freedom of press.
To a question on increasing attack on the media in the US, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders yesterday said, "We fully support a free press, but there also comes a high level of responsibility with that. The media routinely reports on classified information and government secrets that put lives in danger and risk valuable national security tools. This has happened both in our administration and in past administrations."
"One of the worst cases was the reporting on the US ability to listen to Osama bin Laden's satellite phone in the late '90s. Because of that reporting, he stopped using that phone and the country lost valuable intelligence," she told reporters at her daily news conference.
"Unfortunately, it's now standard to abandon common sense and ethical practices. This is a two-way street. We certainly support a free press, we certainly condemn violence against anybody, but we also ask that people act responsibly and report accurately and fairly," Sanders said.
The president does not support violence against anyone and or anything, she said.
"The president condemns and denounces any group that would incite violence against another individual, and certainly doesn't support groups that would promote that type of behaviour. We have been clear about that a number of times since the beginning of the administration," Sanders said.
"We have been very clear every single time we've been asked about that. When it comes to the media, the president does think that the media holds a responsibility," the White House press secretary said, adding, "While we certainly support freedom of the press, we also support freedom of speech, and we think that those things go hand in hand.
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