Press Freedom
National Press Club opposes President Trump’s effort to force disclosure of confidential sources
April 6, 2026
WASHINGTON, April 6 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump’s public remarks that a news outlet should reveal its confidential sources or face consequences including jail time: “President Trump’s public suggestion that…
Read MoreStatement from National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. on reports of American journalist Shelly Kittleson’s abduction in Iraq
March 31, 2026
“The reported abduction of American journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad is alarming and unacceptable. Journalists are not targets and treating them as such is an assault on press freedom everywhere. We call for her immediate and safe release and urge those responsible to ensure her well-being.”…
Read MoreNational Press Club Condemns Pentagon Move to Close Correspondents’ Corridor, Restrict Reporter Access
March 23, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 23 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. today issued the following statement after the Defense Department moved to shut down the Pentagon’s Correspondents’ Corridor and impose escorted access requirements for reporters in the wake of a court ruling on unlawful press…
Read MoreCourt Ruling Blocking Pentagon Press Restrictions Is a Victory for Press Freedom
March 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 20 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff, Jr. issued the following statement after a federal judge ruled that key portions of a Trump administration policy restricting reporters’ access to the Pentagon violate the Constitution: “Today’s ruling is a decisive rebuke of an…
Read MoreNational Press Club statement on the release of Nashville journalist Estefany Rodríguez on bond
March 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, Friday, March 20 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. issued the following statement today on release of Nashville journalist Estefany Rodríguez Thursday evening on bond. “We welcome the news that Estefany Rodríguez has been released on bond, an important step that allows…
Read MoreSunshine Week: NPC member Miranda Spivack on accessing information when federal data goes dark
March 20, 2026
To commemorate Sunshine Week — the annual celebration of access to public information coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project — the National Press Club Journalism Institute asked experts to share their tips for requesting open records, and these have been published in…
Read MoreSunshine Week: NPC past president Eileen O'Reilly offers FOIA advice for journalists
March 19, 2026
To commemorate Sunshine Week — the annual celebration of access to public information coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project — the National Press Club Journalism Institute asked experts to share their tips for requesting open records, and these have been published in…
Read MoreNational Press Club statement on judge’s order to restore Voice of America operations
March 18, 2026
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, March 18 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. issued the following statement today following U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth’s order to restore Voice of America operations. “The National Press Club commends the court’s decision to restore VOA’s…
Read MoreNational Press Club Statement on the Elimination of Data from Federal Agency Websites
March 16, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 16, 2026 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. issued the following statement today to mark the start of Sunshine Week, which helps educate the public, journalists, lawmakers, and others on the right to know, and advocates for transparency and public access to…
Read MoreNational Press Club Warns Barring Photographers From Pentagon Briefings Undermines Transparency
March 11, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 11, 2026 – National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. issued the following statement today following a Washington Post report that the Pentagon barred news photographers after images of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were deemed unflattering: “The decision to bar independent…
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