Author: Brian Stelter / Source: CNN
(CNN Business)In a stunning break with protocol, the White House said Wednesday night that it’s suspending the press pass of CNN’s Jim Acosta “until further notice.”
The move came just hours after Acosta, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, drew the ire of President Donald Trump and his allies by asking multiple questions at a post-midterms news conference.
Trump insulted Acosta and called him a “terrible” person.White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced in a statement that Acosta would be stripped of what’s known as a “hard pass,” which gives him access to the White House grounds.
The revocation of his pass “was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at today’s press conference,” the statement said. “In an explanation, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.”
In the 7 p.m. hour on Wednesday, Acosta was stopped at the White House’s Pennsylvania Avenue gate where reporters usually enter. He was heading back to the White House for a live shot on “Anderson Cooper 360.”
Reporters who regularly cover the White House are routinely granted “hard passes” to ease entry and exit to the grounds. It is unclear whether Acosta will be granted some other sort of entry pass for his work. But on Wednesday night, he was turned away at the gate.
The removal of his pass is a sharp escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and CNN. It immediately stirred concerns within the White House press corps.
“Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of the questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the President,” the association said. “Such interactions, however uncomfortable they may appear to be, help define the strength of our national institutions. We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action.”
Elisabeth Bumiller, the Washington bureau chief for The New York Times, said that “the president should not pick and choose who covers him, and he should certainly not force out a representative of one of the country’s leading news organizations, one that tens of millions of Americans depend on for their news.”
During Wednesday’s news conference, many people on social media thanked Acosta for trying to hold the president accountable for his words and deeds.
But others condemned the correspondent. Some Trump boosters said Acosta’s credentials should be revoked. And pro-Trump media outlets ran stories alleging that the reporter had mistreated the White House aide who tried to take a microphone away from him at the news conference.
“President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration,” she said. “We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable.”
CNN producer Allie Malloy responded to Sanders via Twitter: “This is a complete lie. The woman grabbed Jim’s arm repeatedly. He never once touched her. In fact at one point @Acosta tells her politely ‘pardon me, mam’ as she’s yanking on his arm.”
At the news conference, Trump snapped at the press corps, called reporters “rude” for asking questions, and…
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