Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) has a message for newsrooms feeling the heat right now: keep going.

In a post on X on Monday, Kelly made the case that a free press isn't a public relations arm for whoever happens to occupy the Oval Office. "A free press doesn't exist to make a president look good. It exists to inform the American people and hold those in power accountable," he wrote.

He didn't stop there. "The government doesn't get to decide which voices are heard or silence those it doesn't like. That's not how America works."

Kelly Tells Newsrooms To 'Double Down'

Alongside the post, Kelly shared an interview clip in which he urged CNN, Politico and other news organizations to lean harder into the accountability side of the job.

"I hope you double down ... on the accountability part of your job, keeping any government, this one, the one before it, regardless of who is in the White House," Kelly said.

"Your job is to inform the American people, and I know that just got a lot harder for you," he added.

Kelly also said journalists should find ways to report on what's happening inside the government despite "adverse circumstances."

Democrats Push Back On Trump's Press Ban

Kelly isn't the only Democrat speaking up. Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said President Donald Trump was threatening to target additional news organizations that criticize him, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, and added, "We will not accept authoritarianism."

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said press freedom "was a right guaranteed by the First Amendment — not granted at the pleasure of the President."

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) said the ban was part of what he described as a broader pattern, citing actions including "seizing ballots" and "deploying troops into American cities."

The flashpoint: Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House on Friday, accusing the outlets of publishing "FAKE NEWS" about his administration.

Trump Threatened FCC Action Against Welker

The White House press ban isn't an isolated incident. Last month, Trump threatened to seek Federal Communications Commission action against NBC News' "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker after she described his endorsement record as producing "mixed results."

Trump called the characterization a "purposeful inaccuracy" and said Welker would be "reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment."

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.