Conclusion
Our Founding Fathers designed a system that created tension between the press and the Executive Branch. The press is given certain rights and responsibilities to keep the citizens informed; and the government is given certain rights and responsibilities to protect us. In national security, this tension is the most intense. Each side can abuse its rights. The press can endanger our national security by publishing sensitive material; and the government can hold secrets that citizens should know. The Pentagon Papers case was an epic battle of these clashing rights and responsibilities. As new issues emerge on freedom of the press, the Pentagon Papers case will serve as the historic example to resolve the issues between the government and the press.