2 hrs ago
WHCA Condemns Trump’s White House Bar on Three Outlets
President Donald Trump stopped three news organizations from accessing the White House.
The organizations are CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
Trump said they published false, dishonest and one-sided coverage.
He also said they portrayed his administration negatively.
The White House Correspondents’ Association disagreed with his decision.
Its president, Jacqui Heinrich, said the Constitution protects a free press.
She said that protection should apply even when a president dislikes the news coverage.
She also said people need independent information about what their government is doing.
President Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access effective immediately.
The White House Correspondents’ Association called the decision a “ban on the free press.”
Trump accused the outlets of publishing “fake news” and portraying his administration negatively.
WHCA President Jacqui Heinrich said constitutional press protections should not depend on presidential approval of coverage.
Heinrich said the dispute concerns the public’s right to independent information about government activities and decisions.
- Who
- President Donald Trump, the White House Correspondents’ Association, President Jacqui Heinrich, CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
- What
- Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access, while the WHCA condemned the restrictions.
- Where
- The White House and the United States.
- When
- The outlets were barred effective immediately; the WHCA statement was issued Friday local time.
- Why
- Trump cited what he called fake, dishonest and one-sided coverage; the WHCA said press freedom and public access to independent government information must be protected.
Press-freedom concerns
Presidential criticism of coverage
White House access
Press-freedom concerns
The WHCA says barring the three organizations interferes with press freedom and singles out journalists for doing their jobs.
Presidential criticism of coverage
Trump defended excluding the outlets, accusing them of fake, dishonest and one-sided coverage.
Constitutional protection
Press-freedom concerns
Jacqui Heinrich said constitutional protection for the press does not depend on whether the president likes an organization’s reporting or questions.
Presidential criticism of coverage
Trump has alleged that the organizations deliberately seek to undermine his Republican administration.
Public information
Press-freedom concerns
The WHCA says the public is entitled to a full and independent account of government activities, policies and decisions.
Presidential criticism of coverage
Trump’s stated rationale is that the outlets portray his administration negatively and publish coverage he considers inaccurate.
Key facts
- Restricted outlets
- CNN, MS NOW and Politico
- Restriction
- White House access was barred effective immediately
- Trump’s criticism
- He accused the outlets of publishing fake news and producing dishonest, one-sided coverage
- WHCA response
- The association described the move as a ban on the free press
- WHCA president
- Jacqui Heinrich
- Constitutional argument
- Heinrich said press freedom should not depend on whether a president approves of coverage or reporting
- Public interest
- The WHCA said Americans have a right to a full and independent account of government activities and decisions
Quotes
Jacqui Heinrich
President of the White House Correspondents’ Association and Fox News senior White House correspondent.
“The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. That protection does not depend on whether the president likes a news organization’s coverage, agrees with its reporting, or approves of the questions its journalists ask,”
republicworld.com
livemint.com
“This is about more than the rights of journalists. It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation’s highest office,”
republicworld.com
livemint.com
Sources
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