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For over a decade, the American news media served as a punching bag to a man who was obsessed with punking them. On Monday, members of the press finally realized that self-preservation is usually the best option.

Last week, President Donald Trump threw his latest temper tantrum by banning the likes of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. He was upset with their “unfavorable coverage,” deeming it “fake news” — which, as we know, is just any information he doesn’t like, whether it’s true or a proven fact. A day later, Trump made good on his word, as reporters from all three publications were locked out.

This is why the terrors that took place at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner should have been the last straw.

Reality hit hard for the journalists whose press badges were deactivated and confiscated. The scene mirrored what we watch on the news in places around the world that don’t enjoy the “liberties” we have in terms of “freedom of the press.”

Given that Trump has pushed the American news media into a corner, a boycott was the only reasonable response. 

“As I told @AliVelshi, the major networks and newspapers need to tell Trump they will pull their teams out of the WH if this ban happens. There should be no pool coverage, starting at the UN this week. No WH Correspondents Dinner. Cancel that. Band together and hang tough,” former CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta posted on social media.

Surprisingly, and thankfully, the press took advice from one of their own.

“Effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President,” Bryan Boughton, the Washington bureau chief at Fox News, wrote in a note that was obtained by The New York Times. “This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties. There will be no replacement pool put in place. All other pool coverage will continue as normal.”

This was never about refusing to report the news. Rather, it was about certain media entities realizing they needed to change how they do it. 

Attending White House news briefings is pointless if only a select few are allowed in. Until that changes, journalists should refrain from attending. The press can report from outside the White House or from their newsrooms, taking alternative approaches to covering this president and administration without subjecting themselves to disrespect.

Besides, it’s not like the industry is innocent in this. The news media profited off of Trump because he gave them ratings when he started his campaign in 2015. But instead of taking him seriously, cable news, especially, ended up playing a huge role in catapulting him into the Oval Office. Since then, it’s been a snowball effect of bad decision-making, mixed with compliance and cowardice.

Instead of doing what they were created to do — holding the powers that be accountable and speaking truth to power — the American news media had been reduced to releasing hypocritical, meaningless statements that “stood in solidarity” with other publications before Monday’s decision. That list included CNN, the Associated Press, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, amongst others.

The press releases served as nothing but useless words on the internet, and the decision by the Post to take part in it represented just how cowardly and insincere some newsroom leadership has become. 

Just last year, the Post fired columnist Karen Attiah — a Black woman — for her social media posts in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk. Before that, newsroom leadership cowered to owner Jeff Bezos when he killed an editorial endorsing Kamala Harris — a Black woman — leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election.

Where were all these statements of unity and support when Black women journalists were being mistreated by Trump?

Nowhere.

Just a few weeks ago, Trump snapped at ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott when she pressed him on one of his many broken promises. “Not you. Not you. You’re the worst,” he told her. Scott joins other Black female journalists like April Ryan, Yamiche Alcindor, and Abby Phillip who have all been targets of the president’s purposeful disrespect for simply doing their jobs. 

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) also released a statement in solidarity with other news organizations, but like them, NABJ also has blood on its hands. Two years ago, the organization allowed Trump to speak at their annual convention on a panel in which he did irreparable damage to the organization, the news industry, Black journalists, and the country. Trump not only renewed a vow to pardon Jan. 6 defendants, but he also insulted the moderator and questioned Kamala Harris’ identity and Blackness.

The belief that journalists must endure Trump’s mistreatment and disrespect due to his position robs us of our humanity. Before we were journalists, we were citizens and constituents.

While Trump’s decision serves as the latest example of his vindictiveness and continued ignorance of rules, laws, and precedent —it is also a reminder that he is the embodiment of white privilege.

“Imagine if I had done any of this,” former President Barack Obama said last year while speaking at Hamilton College. “Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps.”

“It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me, or a whole bunch of my predecessors. I say this not on a partisan basis,” he added. “This has to do with something more precious, which is ‘who are we as a country and what values do we stand for?’”  

Last spring, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore The Associated Press’ full access to cover presidential events after they had been blocked months before from covering Trump in the Oval Office, on Air Force One, and at times in the East Room.

The president is like a boxer who keeps throwing the same punch at his opponent because they refuse to defend themselves. While this unified boycott might not be a knockout blow, it serves as a well-timed jab to make the president realize he’s in for a real challenge. The only problem is that the American news media hasn’t shown they have the heart to go the distance. 

“That’s how Trump became president. That’s exactly what happened. We got rid of bullies. A real bully showed up. And nobody knew how to handle him.” — Chris Rock, in his 2018 Netflix stand-up comedy special “Tambourine.”

Carron J. Phillips is an award-winning journalist who writes on race, culture, social issues, politics, and sports. He hails from Saginaw, Michigan, and is a graduate of Morehouse College and Syracuse University. Follow his personal Substack to keep up with more of his work.

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