Trump and his allies are threatening retribution against the press. Their menacing words should not be ignored

Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Bannon, who underscored that such promises are “not just rhetoric” and that they are “absolutely dead serious” about seeking revenge against journalists, asked Patel, who would likely serve in a second Trump administration, whether he could “deliver the goods.” Patel responded affirmatively, vowing that a re-empowered Trump would indeed “come after” the press. Bannon did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday and a spokesperson for Patel claimed he was only referring to targeting journalists “who break the law.” Regardless, Trump has himself said he will target news organizations, including most recently lashing out at Comcast over NBCU News Group’s coverage of him, saying the company should be “investigated.” “I say up front, openly, and proudly, that when I WIN the Presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events,” Trump declared in September, adding that he believes the press “should pay a big price” for supposedly hurting the country. “Trump, Patel, and others have already sued CNN and many other media outlets for defamation, and in doing so they are in line with authoritarians who use lawsuits to financially and psychologically exhaust journalists and media outlets.” Ben-Ghiat added that such public threats “are also attempts to get media outlets to self-censor.” She stressed “autocratic media environments depend not only on the dissemination of talking points friendly to the leader, but also on silence about anything the autocrat does not want the public to know.” Floyd Abrams, the famed First Amendment attorney, told me that he believes “a second Trump term would gravely threaten freedom of the press” and outlined a number of potential actions that could be taken to retaliate against the news media. Ted Boutrous, another First Amendment attorney, said the comments from Patel were “disgusting,” “fundamentally un-American,” and described actions “that seek to stick a dagger in the heart of the First Amendment.” But Boutrous stressed that the rhetoric on display for the public “should be taken seriously, given Mr. Trump’s and his staff’s egregious actions when Trump was in office.” Press freedom groups also spoke out on Wednesday against the anti-press fervor coursing through the MAGA-dominating wing of the Republican Party.