Donald Trump has claimed his ban on three top news organisations from the White House is for ‘national security’.
‘I think that these outlets have an obligation to be fair,’ Trump said this weekend.
‘If they’re fake news, I really think I have an obligation not to allow them into another very special house.’
Hours after his ‘ban’, it seemingly backfired after his ceremony unveiling the new White House helipad was broadcast without audio.
Yesterday, Trump argued he should be allowed to pick which outlets get to cover the White House based on ‘levels of professionalism and decorum’.
A court filing submitted by the Justice Department added: ‘After all, access to the White House is a privilege – not a right.’
The White House has also said the outlets aren’t able to cover the location because of ‘falsehoods in national security.’
In letters to each of the news outlets banned, the White House gave varying reasons for the denial of access.
They cited a report from Politico that mentioned ‘very bad’ vibes at the GOP Convention in Texas.
CNN was accused of reporting on ‘top secret’ information in regard to the bunker being built below the White House ballroom.
‘The President determined that Plaintiffs have failed to maintain minimum professional journalistic standards by publishing classified and national security information,’ the filing added.
But the ban has raised questions about freedom of speech and transparency with Trump’s administration.
At the United Nations, Trump told CNN he was ‘surprised’ they were there – seemingly thinking his White House ban stretched to other coverage as well.
One First Amendment lawyer told Politico that the White House’s arguments were ‘exceptionally weak’.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said in a statement: ‘It’s difficult to imagine a more blatant violation of the First Amendment than Trump banning news outlets from the People’s House for criticising the government.
‘It’s also hard to imagine a dumber move. The historically unpopular president has been retaliating against the press for years, but it hasn’t helped him.
‘The press keeps exposing his corruption and his failures. These outrageous attacks only demonstrate how scared he is of an informed public.’
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