CNN reporters have been barred from travelling with US President Donald Trump on his planned trip to Tennessee on Saturday, in the latest development in an ongoing dispute between the White House and the news network.
CNN had been scheduled to participate in the presidential press pool covering Trump’s trip. However, a White House schedule released on Friday evening did not include CNN or any of the major television networks in the TV pool rotation.
Instead, the schedule listed a “Secondary TV” correspondent and crew from Lindell TV, an outlet run by businessman Mike Lindell, a prominent supporter and ally of Trump.
The presidential press pool is a rotating group of journalists who travel with the president and share their coverage with other media organisations because space on presidential trips is limited.
The development comes after the White House moved last week to restrict access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, accusing the three outlets of publishing coverage that was predominantly negative toward Trump.
Journalists from the affected organisations were subsequently prevented from entering the White House complex. A federal judge later ordered their access to be temporarily restored, ruling that the administration’s action was likely unconstitutional.
The latest decision involving CNN’s participation in Trump’s Tennessee trip has renewed concerns among media organisations over the administration’s treatment of news outlets whose reporting it criticises.
Earlier in the week, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC made a rare joint decision to suspend their participation in the White House press pool in solidarity with CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
In a joint statement, the broadcasters said the public had an important interest in receiving accurate and independent information about the government and argued that news organisations should not be denied access because of their reporting.
CNN declined to comment on Friday when contacted by AFP, while the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The dispute is part of a broader confrontation between the Trump administration and sections of the US media over access to the president and coverage of his administration.
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