New York Times publisher says 'we're not the resistance,' hits Trump for anti-press rhetoric

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger argued that his paper is "not the resistance" and the news media, despite its faults, is critical to maintaining a healthy and free nation in a speech published Tuesday

"This anti-press playbook is now being used here in this country — and it could not come at a more difficult time for the American press," Sulzberger said in remarks that were adapted for an article titled, "A Free People Need a Free Press."

"And yet, even with its imperfections, the press remains essential," he continued. 

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Sulzberger is one of many influential voices in the mainstream media who have argued that President Donald Trump is a threat to democracy and especially to the operations of a free press. 

The Times publisher said that he is "a champion of independent journalism" who believes that his "job is to cover political debates, not to join them."

"We’re not the resistance," he wrote. "We are nobody’s opposition. We’re also nobody’s cheerleader. Our loyalty is to the truth and to a public that deserves to know it. That is the distinct role that independent news organizations like The Times play in our democracy."

Sulzberger noted Trump has been accessible to reporters but assailed his rhetoric. 

"President Trump, in contrast, continues to make himself more available to reporters than previous presidents. Yet in every other respect, he has taken the naturally tense relationship between the White House and the press to an increasingly combative place," Sulzberger said. "You can see this most clearly in the language he uses. He started with schoolyard insults such as ‘the failing New York Times.’ That escalated to more direct attacks on integrity: 'the fake news New York Times.'"

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"That means we will cover the Trump administration fully and fairly, regardless of what attacks it sends our way," Sulzberger added. "We will continue to provide unmatched coverage of its abuses and failures. We will also cover its successes and achievements and explore its support across a large and diverse swath of the country."

Trump has repeatedly clashed with journalists and media organizations early in his second term. The White House announced The Associated Press (AP) would be barred from certain Oval Office and Air Force One events because it had refused to use the "Gulf of America" terminology after Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico.

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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Fox News' Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.