The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) on Friday (local time) condemned US President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, with its president Jacqui Heinrich saying the move amounts to a “ban on the free press.”
Earlier reporting noted: Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social, saying the ban was effective immediately. “The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. “This is about more than the rights of journalists. Heinrich, a Fox News senior White House correspondent, is serving as the association’s president.
She said the Constitution protects press freedom from government interference and argued that the protection does not depend on whether a president agrees with a news organisation’s coverage or reporting. 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,” Heinrich said. The WHCA president said the issue extended beyond journalists and concerned the public’s access to information about the functioning of the US government. 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,” she said. The WHCA is an independent organisation representing White House correspondents and says its mission includes ensuring that the press can independently report on the presidency without government control. Earlier reporting noted: ‘Reporting fake news’: Trump bars CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House; threatens more bans Trump said the outlets were banned over what he described as their repeated “FAKE NEWS” reporting about him and his administration. Earlier reporting noted: US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was banning 3 news outlets – CNN, MS NOW and Politico – from the White House, accusing them of repeatedly publishing what he called “FAKE NEWS”. “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them “alive. ” Seems like corruption to me!), from the White House as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS!” he said.
The statement came after Trump defended his decision to exclude the three news organisations, accusing them of publishing what he described as “fake news” and portraying his administration negatively. The three outlets were barred from White House access effective immediately, according to reports. “The president said it plainly in the Oval Office, describing his own planned action as a ‘ban on the free press,’” Heinrich said in a statement.
