Blanche addresses White House press ban, calls access 'a privilege ... not a right'
Also reported by Guardian World
Summary
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended President Donald Trump’s decision to ban three news outlets from White House access, calling it a "privilege, not a right." A judge temporarily restored the press credentials, allowing reporters back, but disputes over access and reasons for the ban continue amid ongoing legal actions.Key Facts
- Attorney General Todd Blanche said President Trump did not deny access to news outlets but criticized their reporting accuracy.
- The White House banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from accessing the White House grounds.
- A judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring the White House to restore journalist credentials from these outlets.
- Journalists returned to cover President Xi Jinping’s state visit after the ruling.
- CNN was blocked from coverage on President Trump’s trip to a football game.
- Blanche said decisions about which reporters can travel on Air Force One are routine and common during presidential trips.
- The ban was described by Blanche as a national security concern, due to allegedly inaccurate reporting affecting foreign relations.
- Judge Timothy Kelly questioned whether national security was the real reason for the media ban, noting President Trump cited negative and untruthful reporting as the cause.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
