Trump's Press Ban and Lawsuit by CNN, MSNBC, Politico

CNN, MSNOW, and Politico have taken dramatic action. In response to the Trump administration's recent revocation of their press credentials, the three prominent news organizations have filed a lawsuit for what they allege is a "direct assault on the First Amendment."

The Press Pool in Action

The White House press pool is a cooperative arrangement among news outlets to share the burden and cost of covering the president. Usually, a rotating group of TV networks provides live coverage, with the rest of the press relying on this pool for updates. This arrangement helps manage the crowd and ensures that even small outlets can cover the president's activities. The pool operates under two main functions: reducing the number of journalists in any given space at once and sharing the costs of coverage. Each network rotates in and out of the pool, sharing the expense of traveling with the President, including airfare on Air Force One. The White House press pool's coverage is crucial for smaller outlets that cannot afford to have their own reporters on the ground during a president’s trip. On this occasion, the press pool refused to cover President Trump. Their solidarity and refusal to cover the President after the removal of CNN, MSNOW, and Politico highlighted the deepening rift between the Trump administration and the press.

Undermining the Fourth Estate

This development is part of a broader pattern of tension between the Trump administration and the media, with the president often labeling critical outlets as "fake news." The press ban and subsequent lawsuit underscore the administration's approach to media relations. Following the ban, the five-TV pool network decided not to cover the President, opting for solidarity. The impact of this decision was immediate. For the first time in modern press coverage, there was no TV camera traveling with the president, and the White House had to rely on its own camera for an event, which lacked proper audio equipment. The absence of professional media coverage led to significant gaps in the reporting of the President's activities. Moreover, the ban has broader implications for press freedom. The lawsuit filed by the news organizations seeks a temporary restraining order to restore access to the White House grounds. The lawsuit alleges that the White House revoked journalists' credentials without notice or process, objecting to their reporting. The news organizations argue that this action is a direct assault on the First Amendment.

Consequence of the solidarity

CNN, MSNOW, and Politico were stripped of their press passes and barred from the White House, effectively removing them from the pool. This absence had immediate consequences for the coverage of the president's activities. In New York, the president took questions from reporters at Gracie Mansion with Mayor Bill de Blasio. The President repeated that he feels obligated to not let what he calls "fake news" into the White House. The White House press pool's functions include reducing the number of journalists in any given space at once and sharing the costs of coverage, which is an expensive undertaking. Outlets that are part of this pool share the burden of covering the president, both in terms of logistical challenges and financial investment. This cooperative approach ensures that even smaller news organizations can maintain a presence at the White House, relying on the shared resources of the pool.

Counter Programming

The White House appears to be countering the narrative by promoting Trump TV, which will air on the official White House website at 7 p.m. This move highlights a more aggressive approach to media control and counters the narrative from the press pool solidarity.

Press Pool Considerations

The criticism and the lawsuit have made it clear that White House credentials are essential for working journalists, even with PBS News Hour and other news media colleagues objecting. PBS News is not publishing video or still images provided by the administration. However, for any journalist or news organization looking to cover the White House under similar circumstances, consider the following:

• Seek Legal Counsel: The gravity of being barred from press activities means that legal counsel must be consulted. Legal recourse to reclaiming the credentials.
• Pool Participation: Seek to join or retain membership in the press pool, as it is crucial for smaller outlets that cannot afford to have their own reporters on the ground during a president’s trip.
• Transparency: Establish guidelines for press access and credentialing processes to enforce transparency and accountability.