Melania Trump has seemingly walked back her husband Donald Trump’s shocking decision to ban several news outlets from the White House ahead of her appearance in New York for the UN General Assembly, beginning on September 22.
The First Lady will allow CNN reporter Betsy Klein to attend and report on her Fostering the Future event in NYC on Tuesday, as CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter shared on Monday.
“We’re going to see reporters get creative,” he explained. “That’s what we do sometimes when we have to. We’re going to see reporters try and get credentialed in other ways.”
“I’m told, for example, a CNN reporter has already been approved by the office of the First Lady to cover an event with Melania Trump on the sidelines of the UN tomorrow,” he added. “So I’m expecting more of those sorts of things to happen.”
“There will still be coverage of what the President and the First Lady are doing, but it’s not going to be through the official pool because Trump has instituted this ban.”
Donald’s media ban explained
© AFP via Getty ImagesDonald announced on Friday via Truth Social that he banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House in a move that shocked the US media.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Donald began in his missive.
Learn more about Donald’s battle with CNN below…
“Virtually every story about me, or anything having to do with me, is negative, wrong and, in many cases, DANGEROUS for our Country! No matter how GREAT my Achievements, they trivialize and demean.”
He continued: “Fake News people and publications that only write negatively, and who violate our National Security by writing false and defamatory stories with unknown ‘sources’, shouldn’t be allowed access to the most important Office anywhere in the World.”
“It is called the Oval Office, and it should be treated with Decorum, Respect, and Dignity, not defiled by Third Rate Clowns, who purposefully distort, twist, and degrade with everything they write or publish.”
Fighting back
CNN revealed in a statement on Friday that their journalists suddenly had their credentials revoked and were denied access to the White House.
© AFP via Getty Images“CNN’s mission to report on the US government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism,” their statement read.
“We have a right under the US Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government, and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right.”
© Getty Images“We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account, and we will continue to report on the actions and processes of this administration without fear or favor,” the statement concluded. “CNN stands fully behind our White House team.”
CNN, Politico and MS NOW have filed lawsuits against Donald, arguing that their restriction from the White House is a “direct assault on the First Amendment”.
© AFP via Getty Images“The Constitution does not allow a president or any other government official to deprive the press of their First Amendment rights and liberty and property interests with no notice or process based solely on his dislike of the content of their reporting,” the lawsuit stated.
After Donald’s unexpected move, the US’s major TV networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News, ceased their coverage of Donald in protest of his ban. Other outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times and the Associated Press have stood in solidarity with the TV networks and will not publish images taken by the White House photography pool on Monday.
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