Balsamo puts protecting journalists at top of Club agenda

Mike Balsamo spends much of his time as the national law enforcement editor at The Associated Press thinking about how to protect journalists on his team from the dangers they face every day on their beat.

He’s bringing that same mindset – and applying it to the entire journalism profession – in his new role as president of the National Press Club.

“Press freedom is under siege from physical threats to mental health challenges, from disinformation and legislative crackdowns,” Balsamo said at the Club’s Annual Membership Meeting on Friday, Jan. 24. “Journalists face unprecedented obstacles. But let’s be clear. This is our fight, and we will not back down.”

The Club gavel passed from Emily Wilkins to Balsamo at the meeting, which was attended by approximately 65 Club members.

Balsamo is beginning his one-year term leading the Club a few months after the launch of the Press Freedom Center, a non-profit organization housed within the National Press Club Journalism Institute.

The Center will be the focal point of the Club’s press freedom efforts, such as working for the release of Austin Tice, a journalist who has been illegally detained in Syria for more than 12 years, providing support for exiled journalists and defending news organizations under threat in the United States.

“Press freedom is not a luxury,” Balsamo said. “It’s a fundamental right, and we will work to preserve it every single day.”

Wilkins, a reporter for CNBC, said Balsamo’s is a perfect fit for Club membership at a time of great peril for journalists.

“Mike is just hyper aware about what domestic journalists are currently facing in terms of security and safety, and he is exactly the right person needed at this moment,” Wilkins said.

Just before assuming the Club presidency, Balsamo recorded a message to President Donald Trump calling on him to do everything in his power to bring home Tice, a freelance reporter whose work has been published in the Washington Post and by McClatchy News, among others.

Balsamo said Tice is alive, according to actionable intelligence, but no one is sure exactly where he is. Tice’s mother, Debra, traveled to Syria recently to meet with rebel leaders who overthrew the Assad regime and now control the country.

“We will not rest until Austin is home with his family,” Balsamo said. “This is not just about the missing journalist. It’s about the very freedom we stand for. Austin’s story is our story.”

Balsamo covered the Justice Department during the first Trump administration. He broke the story of then-Attorney General William Barr saying the agency had found no widespread voter fraud during the 2020 election.

As Trump comes back into office, Balsamo said the Club will be vigilant regarding any White House efforts to curtail coverage.

“Those are things we want to hear about and know about,” he said in response to a question from the audience. “We want to ensure equitable access in the White House. That’s something the White House Correspondents Association has already been thinking about quite a lot. We’ll continue to work with WHCA.”

Another goal for Balsamo is to strengthen the Club community.

“It’s more critical than ever that we create spaces where we as journalists and communicators can connect, collaborate and support each other,” Balsamo said. “Building strong connections within our membership is essential, especially as press freedom, independent journalism and our profession itself are under attack. By sharing, supporting and lifting each other up, we strengthen not only our community but our ability to face these challenges together and uphold the vital work we do in this society.”