Told by his “chief content officer” to dial back coverage of Donald Trump lest the publication incur his wrath, the editor of a smaller outlet detailing the inner workings of the government quit his job and took to Politico to make his case.

In a column published Wednesday afternoon, Alan Greenblatt, formerly of NPR and Congressional Quarterly, explained that he was willing to go out into an uncertain media landscape rather than, as an editor, have his hands tied while reporting the news.

Writing that he was employed as the editor of Governing, which is dedicated to state and local issues, Greenblatt, without naming names, wrote, “Earlier this year, the chief content officer for our parent company, e.Republic, stated in a meeting that we should not run articles that could draw the attention of the Trump White House and have them try to shut us down.”

According to the journalist, there has been a rising tide of “edicts” on a variety of topics over the past year, so he claims he told his bosses, “if we weren’t going to reflect reality — if we weren’t going to do journalism — I’d have to quit.”

When it came to mentions of Trump, he noted that Governing, with its focus on below-the-radar issues, is likely not on the radar of the Trump White House.

“It’s a wonky publication, and it’s not huge, but it has a sterling reputation for covering a crucial niche,” he wrote of his former employer before adding, “The notion that the litigious Trump would hit us with a lawsuit was not impossible, but it was unlikely. We certainly weren’t reliant on federal contracts to stay afloat. But after Trump’s second term began, the corporate anxiety about rocking the boat with our coverage became a constant.”

With that in mind, he noted, “That’s one of the saddest parts of Trump’s anti-media drive. After the government has gone after the big guys — Trump has engaged in court fights this year with CBS, ABC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press, not to mention defunding NPR, my former employer — the little guys too often decide they lack the resources to stand up” and warned, “Capitulation becomes the easier course.”

Citing examples of colleagues who are increasingly being targeted by fearful publishers, he warned, “As official government data becomes more politicized, it’s increasingly important that independent sources maintain their integrity. Journalists in particular have a professional obligation to pursue and provide the truth to the best of their abilities. That’s the job. I hope and trust that most of my colleagues still have the courage to do it right.”

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