A fresh clash between the White House and the press erupted after CNN reporters were barred from travelling aboard Air Force One with US President Donald Trump, marking the latest step to curb the network’s access.
The move follows last week’s attempt by the US president to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, as he accused the outlets of delivering only negative coverage of him.
After journalists from the three organisations were stopped from entering the White House complex, a judge ordered that their access be temporarily restored, ruling that Mr Trump’s action was likely unconstitutional.
CNN had been slated to serve as the television network in the press “pool” accompanying President Trump on a trip to Tennessee today.
But the White House schedule released yesterday evening omitted CNN and did not name any of the TV networks typically included in the rotating TV pool lineup.
The pool system — a small, rotating group of journalists assigned to travel with the president and share coverage with other outlets because of limited space — is a long-standing fixture of Washington reporting.
Instead, the schedule listed only a “Secondary TV” correspondent and crew: Lindell TV, a pro-Trump outlet run by businessman Mike Lindell, a close ally of the president.
Earlier this week, while CNN’s White House access remained revoked, the country’s five major broadcasters took the unusual step of suspending pool coverage of the White House in protest.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said.
US television networks resumed coverage of Mr Trump’s White House events yesterday, delivering the first live pool coverage of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit.
The White House television press pool provided video showing President Xi arriving at the White House for tea on the final day of his trip, along with footage of the two leaders touring the National Archives, home to the US Constitution.
