--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With the press there is no \"off the record." description: "\"With the press there is no \"off the record.\" — Donald Rumsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/donald-rumsfeld-1507_journalism_with-the-press-there-is-no-off-the-recor_1329442.png" --- # With the press there is no "off the record. ![“With the press there is no "off the record.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/donald-rumsfeld-1507_journalism_with-the-press-there-is-no-off-the-recor_1329442.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/donald-rumsfeld-1507_journalism_with-the-press-there-is-no-off-the-recor_1329442.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/donald-rumsfeld-1507_journalism_with-the-press-there-is-no-off-the-recor_1329442.png) > “With the press there is no "off the record.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. There is no secrecy in the press; everything is on the record and subject to scrutiny. **In simple terms:** No off‑the‑record press. Key Takeaway Expect transparency. Themes media politics accountability Mood critical serious Type political informative When to use this quote - political interviews - press releases - public statements Key Concepts Journalism government information flow Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of press transparency? - How does this affect trust? A Different Perspective Assumes all parties respect record‑keeping norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) [Press Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press-record-4455422/) [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) ## Related quotes > [Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort is spent, rather than whether the money or effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/congress-the-press-and-the-bureaucracy-too-often-focus-on-how-much/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > ['Rapper's Delight' was done in 17 minutes. Just one take, no mistakes, and it went to press from there. The record went platinum in 8 days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-bank-hank/rapper-s-delight-was-done-in-17-minutes-just-one-take-no-mistakes-and/) [Big Bank Hank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-bank-hank/) > [This is what it's all about. From what I could see, you could get a bunch of people together, whip up the press and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/this-is-what-it-s-all-about-from-what-i-could-see-you-could-get-a/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [The press doesn't matter as much like it used to matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-press-doesn-t-matter-as-much-like-it-used-to-matter/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Doing some of the 'Lord Of The Rings' press junkets got a bit claustrophobic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/doing-some-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-press-junkets-got-a-bit/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [“The ability of a free and independent press to hold political leaders accountable is what makes open government possible—it is the heartbeat of democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-k-albright/the-ability-of-a-free-and-independent-press-to-hold-political-leaders/) [Madeleine K. Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-k-albright/) > [I'm not that great with press sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evans/i-m-not-that-great-with-press-sometimes/) [Chris Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evans/) > [Its attitude, which it has preached and practiced, is skepticism. Now, it finds, the public is applying that skepticism to the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-griffith/its-attitude-which-it-has-preached-and-practiced-is-skepticism-now-it/) [Thomas Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-griffith/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [I'm not used to doing press conferences, and I don't like giving interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/i-m-not-used-to-doing-press-conferences-and-i-don-t-like-giving/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Journalism quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. 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And it seems we have to learn it each time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/one-lesson-to-learn-is-that-the-press-and-the-broadcasters-are-not/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. 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