What is Permissible?

Is it not disturbing that our president want new laws to prevent the executive branch from attempts to silence and intimidate media criticism of the administration?

Isn't the president saying that he has no limits on what he will do to press critics unless there is explicit statutory prohibitions? Is he really unable to do what is right to accept the spirit of the First Amendment's press freedom provision?

Shouldn't it be the other way around for our government? Shouldn't the government be unwilling to infringe on freedoms unless explicitly authorized?