The White House has barred CNN from travelling with US President Donald Trump on Air Force One for a trip to Tennessee. The move is the latest development in a battle between the White House and the media. CNN was scheduled to fly with Trump for his trip to Tennessee for a college American football game. However, a note released on Friday night by the White House did not list the broadcaster on the media schedule.
The decision to bar CNN comes after a series of tensions between the White House and the media. Last week, Trump banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW journalists from the White House after accusing them of writing "fiction or lies" about his administration. The three media outlets said they were pursuing legal action and accused Trump of violating their constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of the press.
In response to the ban, four television networks that have a daily rotation of White House coverage alongside CNN - ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC - had paused their broadcasts of the president in solidarity with the banned outlets. The White House then launched its own streaming channel, Trump TV, ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York. A federal judge has since ruled that Trump barring news outlets from the White House was likely unconstitutional.
Despite the court ruling, the White House still denied entry to some CNN and MS NOW reporters assigned to cover arrivals at a state dinner for Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday. The move has been seen as a continuation of the tensions between the White House and the media. CNN has reported that no other outlet was listed as replacing them in the president's tentative schedule.
The president is set to attend a football game between University of Tennessee vs University of Texas College at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville from midday local time on Saturday. The game is expected to be a major event, with the president's presence drawing significant attention. The White House has not commented on the decision to bar CNN from travelling with the president.
In a series of online posts on Saturday, Trump criticised the CNN and other media outlets, dubbing them "fake news". "FAKE NEWS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE WHITE HOUSE," he said. A White House communications account earlier posted that "contrary to what the Fake News wants you to believe, they don't just get to have free rein into every part of the White House, every event and every press call".
Regular US television coverage resumed on Friday after White House officials allowed reporters entry. The development suggests that the White House is trying to balance its relationship with the media. The incident has raised concerns about the relationship between the White House and the media, and the implications for press freedom.
Key points
- The White House has barred CNN from travelling with US President Donald Trump on Air Force One for a trip to Tennessee.
- The move is the latest development in a battle between the White House and the media.
- A federal judge has ruled that Trump barring news outlets from the White House was likely unconstitutional.
