Can the President Prosecute the Press? What Journalists Can (and Can't) Be Forced to Reveal
Podcast: SmartHER NewsPublished On: Wed Apr 08 2026
Description: The President says he wants to go after those who leaked information about a rescue operation in Iran - Can he? Jenna takes you to a portion of a White House press conference that drew attention after the president blamed press reporting and a leaker for revealing a second missing airman during a rescue operation in Iran, saying the media company should give up the source "or go to jail." She clarifies that while there is legal precedent for the government to pursue the leaker, she knows of no precedent for prosecuting a media organization for publishing accurate (or even inaccurate) information, and notes protections for journalists vary: most states have shield laws, but there is no federal shield law. She cites the Iraq War-era case in which New York Times journalist Judith Miller was jailed 85 days for contempt after refusing to reveal sources, but leads us to a larger ethical questions about reporting sensitive details during national security events. Plus - Jenna shares her grandfather's reporter's handbook - from his time embedded with U.S. forces during WWII. What do you think about his responsibilities as a member of the press? 00:00 Press Freedom Question 00:26 Trump Leak Threat Clip 01:19 Rescue Mission Context 03:36 Who Is He Targeting 05:23 Journalist Protections Explained 07:54 No Federal Shield Law 08:34 Judith Miller Case Study 11:27 State vs Federal Subpoenas 14:15 Ethics vs Legality 17:01 WWII Censorship Rules 20:23 What Free Press Means Now 21:15 Wrap Up and Support Love nonpartisan news? Want a bigger serving of the serious headlines? Here's how you can become a SCOOP insider: https://www.scoop.smarthernews.com/get-the-inside-scoop/ Shop our gear! https://smarthernews.com/shop/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarthernews/ Website: https://smarthernews.com/
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