New York Times Co. v. United States

New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) was a landmark Supreme Court case involving freedom of the press. The Nixon administration tried to block the New York Times and the Washington Post from publishing classified documents (the Pentagon Papers) about U.S. involvement in Vietnam, claiming national security risks. The Court ruled that the government couldn't prevent publication unless it could prove the information would cause direct, immediate harm. This case reinforced that the press has a strong right to publish government information, emphasizing the importance of a free press in checking government power and maintaining transparency.