The White House Correspondents’ Association works every day to stand up for press freedom and advocate for journalists’ ability to do their jobs. We do that with every White House, regardless of who’s president, and regardless of whether he is a Democrat or a Republican. President Trump’s White House is no different. We have worked very hard to build a constructive relationship with his press team and there are clear dividends from those efforts.

The press is still in the White House briefing room and we are still on Air Force One. In fact, press access under President Trump has been very good. With all of the tension in the relationship, that aspect is often overlooked. We have had several news conferences, repeated opportunities to see and report on the president’s meetings and, with at least one notable and lamentable exception, good access to briefings with press staff and senior administration officials.

Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the rhetoric that has been employed by the president about who we are and what we do. Freedom of the press is a building block of our democracy. Undermining that by seeking to delegitimize journalists is dangerous to a healthy republic.

It is our job to report on facts and to hold leaders accountable. That is who we are. We are not fake news. We are not failing news organizations. And we are not the enemy of the American people.