What did Donald Trump do today?

He explained why he's afraid of the press.

The White House press briefing had been a near-daily affair since the Eisenhower administration. Reporters asked questions openly and on the record of White House press secretaries, or, occasionally, the president. Even President Nixon, who famously hated the reporters who populated his "enemies list," continued to allow the media to put questions to his press office. (He even renovated the room in which briefings were held.)

Briefings became much rarer when Trump took office, and he has not allowed Sarah Huckabee Sanders to hold a press briefing since December 18th, 2018. Today, he explained why.

So what?

• Presidents don't get to demand favorable coverage.

• There are reasons that a presidential administration would want to hide from public scrutiny, but none of them are good.