Donald Trump’s demand to jail a reporter who broke the story of a leaked Supreme Court draft, has been denounced as “appalling” by a leading press freedom activist.
The top court has said that an eight-month investigation to try and identify who had leaked the draft of decision to overturn Roe v Wade, had been unable to uncover the source of the leak.
The leaked draft, and its shuddering implications for the country, were published in May by Politico.
Shortly after its publication, Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the draft and announced an investigation to try and uncover the leaker.
Last year, ahead of the midterm elections, Mr Trump told a rally the only way to find the leaker would be to send them to jail, where they could be the victim of sexual assault.
On Thursday, Mr Trump doubled down on his suggestion, and claimed the reporters had to be jailed until they revealed the source, who he termed a “slime”
““They’ll never find out, & it’s important that they do. So, go to the reporter & ask him/her who it was. If not given the answer, put whoever in jail until the answer is given. You might add the publisher and editor to the list”,” he wrote on Truth Social.
He later added: “It won’t take long before the name of this slime is revealed.”
The former president’s comments were condemned by many, including defenders of press freedom.
“Trump’s statement isn’t exactly surprising, given he’s been saying similar things on the campaign trail, but it is appalling,” Trevor Timms, President of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, told The Independent.
“No president should be allowed to threaten reporters with jail in order to reveal their sources.”
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